Malabika Sarkar

The state government on Thursday decided to renew the term of Presidency University vice-chancellor Malabika Sarkar by another year.

Sarkar, an authority on Milton and Romantic literature, was appointed the second VC of Presidency last October.

“The government renewed Sarkar’s term because of her efficient ways in handling the key matters of the university, especially recruitment of teachers. Presidency has recruited some of the best researchers from the country and abroad,” said a source in the higher education department.

The government had recently sent a proposal to governor M.K. Narayanan, also chancellor of Presidency, for extending Sarkar’s tenure by another year. The governor’s nod came on Thursday.

“I have verbally informed Sarkar about the extension. The government order on this will be issued sometime next week,” Satish Tiwary, the principal secretary in the higher education department, told Metro.

Asked about her plans for the university during her second term as VC, Sarkar said: “Strengthening international collaboration is the next important task. We have to concentrate on developing the infrastructure to support the teachers who have come from well-known universities from across the world.”

The extension of Sarkar’s term is in tune with a recommendation of the Presidency mentor group, headed by Harvard University professor Sugata Bose. “On the advice of Professor Amartya Sen, advisor to the chairman of the mentor group, we respectfully request the Chancellor... to extend her (Sarkar’s) term for a second year...,” the mentors’ third report read.