Patna, Feb. 8: The appointment of vice-chancellors for five universities of the state is likely to take some more time as the names suggested by the state human resource development (HRD) department was prepared without consulting the mandatory search committee.

Sources said the names suggested by the HRD department — Rash Bihari Prasad Singh, the head of Patna University (PU) geography department, Nihar Nandan Singh, former VC of Bhim Rao Ambedkar Bihar University, N.K. Choudhary, former head of PU economics department, Dr O.P. Chaudhury, the medical superintendent of Patna Medical College and Hospital and A.K.P. Yadav, the chairman of Bihar School Examination Board — were of persons who had political backing.

According to the regulations of University Grants Commission (UGC), a search committee comprising a nominee each of the state government, the chancellor and UGC, need to be formed to scrutinise the applications for the post of vice-chancellors. Raj Bhavan sources also claim that a search committee should have been formed before the names were suggested.

A Raj Bhavan source said: “Most of the names suggested by the HRD department were of persons with political backing. It is not possible to accept them.”

The source added most of the names were of people from the upper castes and there was no representation of the extremely backward castes, scheduled castes or women. Only one person represented the minority community.

HRD department officials, however, claimed forming search committees were not necessary for state universities.

“Different acts and rules govern state universities. There is no provision for forming a search committee for appointment of VCs for these universities,” said Anjani Kumar Singh, the HRD principal secretary.

Singh added appointment of VCs of new universities such as Chanakya Law University, Aryabhatta Knowledge University and Chandragupt Institute of Management Patna was done with the help of search committees.

Randhir Kumar Singh, the general secretary of Patna University Teachers’ Association, said: “The state government and the chancellor should ensure that only men of integrity are appointed to the posts.

“Only proper VCs can provide good leadership to the universities. Therefore the process of their selection is very sensitive,” added Singh.

On January 23, Governor Devanand Konwar had appointed acting VCs for the universities.

Higher Education and Research Bill, 2010 — drafted as a part of National Commission for Higher Education and Research, on the recommendations of the Yashpal Committee — proposes a central registration process for the appointment of vice-chancellors.

NCHER regulations state anyone suitable for the post of VC must register with the commission and a panel of academicians would shortlist eligible candidates.