Patna, Jan. 17: All eyes are now on the Raj Bhavan after the human resource development ministry sent the names of probable vice-chancellors of the five universities to the governor, who is also the chancellor.

Sources say that the list submitted by the HRD department to the Governor House, has many fresh faces and surprises.

However, the namelist does not include any serving VCs.

The offices of VCs are falling vacant in Patna University, BBA University-Muzaffarpur, BN Mandal University-Madhepura, JP University-Chhapra and Arabic and Persian University-Patna.

The VC’s post of Kameshwar Singh Darbhanga Sanskrit University will fall vacant in March.

This time, the HRD department is not in a mood to give full autonomy to the governor to select VCs in these universities.

However, Section 10 of the Bihar Universities Act says that appointment of vice-chancellors in state universities has to be done by chancellors after consultations with the state government.

On the other hand, the HRD letter to Governor House assumes importance since last year there was a controversy in appointment of VCs of Magadh University-Gaya, Veer Kuer Singh University-Ara and Tilka Manjhi University-Bhagalpur.

A source said: “This time the state government is in no mood to give full autonomy to the governor because in January 2010 the appointment of VCs had created a ruckus.”

Recently, the HRD has approached the governor to take the department in confidence.

The HRD department has constituted a four-member committee recommending a set procedure for appointment of VCs, pro-VCs and other key persons, including registrars and controllers of examinations in universities.

HRD sources said the probable names sent include, Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) chairman, Dr A.K.P. Yadav, economics teacher from Patna University, N.K. Chaudhary, history department HoD Bharti S. Kumar, Patna Medical College and Hospital medical superintendent O.P. Chaudhary, Khagendra Kumar, a teacher of MA in education department, Ramashray Singh, professor with the Benaras Hindu University and others.

Yadav’s term as BSEB chairman is likely to end this year and JD (U) national president Sharad Yadav is backing his candidature.

A.K.P. Yadav is being credited for bringing many reforms in school examination board, which includes timely holding of board examination and timely publication of board results.

N.K. Chaudhary is strongly considered for the VCs post from any of the five universities but some section of the university and HRD department are opposed to his candidature for his alleged involvement in anti-university and anti-government agitations.

O.P. Chaudhary is considered to be a close associate of chief minister Nitish Kumar and both hail from Kalyanbigha.