The state government’s advisory committee on higher education is set to recommend selection of vice-chancellors by independent search committees in a bid to minimise political appointments.

A change in the composition and role of the policy-making bodies of the universities and more stringent eligibility norms for the vice-chancellor’s post are the other plans of the advisory committee to keep out political appointees.

“Some changes must be brought about to ensure that university and college education in the state is controlled only by academicians,” said a source close to the committee, comprising 11 academicians and a former bureaucrat.

“The policy-making bodies of universities must immediately be restructured and political influence in selecting vice-chancellors minimised. We want to create a mechanism that will ensure that the party in power does not decide who will be the vice-chancellor,” added the source.

The CPM has often been accused of packing policy-making bodies of universities, such as the executive council and court (syndicate and senate of Calcutta University), with sympathisers.

The advisory panel wants the process of selecting the vice-chancellors of central universities like Visva-Bharati to be followed in the state.

The Prime Minister being the chancellor of Visva-Bharati, his office appoints the chairman of the search committee.

The other two members of the search committee are recommended by the university’s court and executive council.

“For state-aided universities like Calcutta University and Jadavpur University, all three members of the search committee can be appointed by the governor, who is the chancellor,” said the source.

Currently, the court of a state-aided university (Calcutta University’s senate) recommends the names of up to three academicians to the governor for the vice-chancellor’s post.

The advisory committee also plans to raise the qualification bar to ensure that only the deserving become vice-chancellors.

“The rules will be such that most of those backed by political parties will not even make it to the shortlist,” said the source.

“The new government has set an example by constituting an ideal panel to mentor Presidency University. The search committees should include academicians of such repute that nobody can question their credentials,” said the official.

To introduce the search committees the government will have to amend the acts of the 15 state universities, including Presidency.

“Necessary steps are being taken to amend the acts and incorporate the new clauses,” said the official.