Patna, Dec. 17: The state government today again questioned the governor’s role in university affairs and admitted to tussles between Raj Bhavan and the secretariat on issues pertaining to higher education.

Deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi made it clear that the row between the “two constitutional positions” (state governments and governors) in respect of higher education existed in other states as well. “The dual control — that of state and chancellor over universities — have adversely affected the required reforms in higher education. There is no provision in the Constitution that a governor would be the chancellor of universities. But this has been in tradition since independence. Conflicts crop up between the state government and Raj Bhavan every now and then over either the appointment of vice-chancellors or any other issues. Governors should be relieved of chancellor’s job,” he said.

Modi said this while addressing a national conference, ‘Present Challenges of Higher Education’, organised by Akhil Bharatiya Rashtriya Shaikshik Mahasangh, a national-level association of teachers from the primary to higher education level.

On the appointment of lecturers, he said the process would begin once the bill, passed by the state assembly in the just-concluded winter session, got the governor’s nod. He added: “We had earlier decided to fill up the vacancies at the university level. But the government later decided to appoint lecturers through a commission. But this will be possible only after the governor approves the bill.”

The state government has for the second time moved the Bihar State University Amendment Bill, 2011 and the Patna University Amendment Bill 2011 after governor Devanand Konwar returned them without giving his assent. According to sources, the governor had returned the two bills, fearing that the autonomy of universities would be curtailed.

“We are not satisfied with our work in higher education because the state could not carry out the required reforms in the sector because of an ongoing conflict between the government and the Raj Bhavan. Our hands are tied,” Modi lamented.

Referring to the recommendations of Justice M M Punchhi Commission, set up by the Union government on Centre-state relations, the deputy chief minister said: “In its report submitted to the government in April 2010, the panel had observed that the governor’s role should be confined to only Constitutional provision to avoid any kind of controversies or public criticism.

“Making a governor a chancellor of a university and thereby conferring powers on him which may have had some relevance historically has ceased to be with change of times and circumstances. The council of ministers will naturally be interested in regulating university education. There is no need to perpetuate a situation where there would be a clash of functions and powers.” Modi quoted certain paragraphs from the commission’s report.