How private university vice chancellors are chosen, and what they are paid
A vice chancellor's pay, selection and perks vary from one private university to another, though older UGC norms offer a broad guide.
Most people picture professors, teachers and students when they think of a university. But a number of senior officials and departments work behind the successful running of any university. Among them, the post of Vice Chancellor (VC) is considered the most important. This report looks at what a VC heading a private university does, how the VC is selected and what facilities the post carries.
In private universities, the Kulpati and Kulguru are the top posts. Under University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines, the VC is regarded as the head of the institution. All academic work, such as taking decisions on studies and overseeing the work of teachers, is the VC's responsibility. Every private university has its own rules, so the role can differ somewhat from place to place. Broadly, the VC bears the main responsibility for taking the university's teaching and academic system forward.
On pay, the salary of a private university VC is not fixed uniformly across the country. Each university sets it according to its own rules, the responsibility of the post and the person's experience. The UGC's older pay rules mention a fixed salary of Rs 75,000 for a VC and an additional Rs 5,000. However, this cannot be treated today as the fixed salary in every private university. Anyone wanting to know the salary of the VC of a particular university should consult that university's official records.
Becoming a VC is not like an ordinary job, where one simply applies and gets the post. Names of eligible people are first considered, and a selection committee draws up a list of them. The committee looks at the candidate's education, experience in higher education, and experience of handling a university's academic and administrative work. The UGC's older rules provide for the selection committee to prepare a list of three to five names. Even so, the entire process of choosing a VC at a private university depends on that university's own rules.
As for facilities, these too are not the same in every private university. They depend on the terms of service and the university's rules. In many places, besides a good salary, a VC may also get accommodation, a vehicle, travel, medical and other necessary facilities. Details of these are generally fixed in the terms of appointment.
