Dr Subhash Chaudhari assumes charge as RTMNU’s new V-C

Principal Correspondent :

Vows to improve varsity’s ranking

It is after 22 years that a person with traditional engineering background has assumed the charge of Vice Chancellor (V-C) of Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University (RTMNU). The varsity will be celebrating its centenary two years later, giving the new V-C an opportunity to restructure the institution for future. Dr Subhash Chaudhari, Principal of J D College of Engineering and Management and the present Pro-Vice Chancellor of RTMNU, whom Chancellor Bhagat Singh Koshyari selected as the new Vice Chancellor has done BE in Civil, post-graduation in Structural Engineering, PhD again in Civil Engineering, and also possesses Management degree. Before the marksheet scam in 1999, Dr Bhalchandra Chopne having engineering background had become RTMNU’s V-C. After him no candidate with core engineering background became V-C of RTMNU.

Dr Vilas Sapkal had background of Chemical Engineering. “The first three things that I have decided to do are, improve the ranking of university at all levels, give the momentum to the digitisation work and third is to incorporate the components of New Education Policy,” said Dr Chaudhari while talking to ‘The Hitavada’ after assuming the charge. There was lot of curiosity about the V-C’s post of RTMNU after the process started.

Dr Chaudhari has succeeded Dr S P Kane whose tenure ended on April 8, 2020. Vice Chancellor of Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University Dr Murlidhar Chandekar was given the responsibility of RTMNU too who in short time tried to steer the university at a different height. Of the 130 total applicants the Search Committee under the chairmanship of Justice Dilip Bhosle, retired Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court with Dr Abhay Karandikar, Director, IIT Kanpur and Dr Sanjay Chahande Principal Secretary, Water Supply and Sanitation as members scrutinised 30 names. Of those 30 names, five were shortlisted.

The Chancellor conducted interviews of these five on Friday and finalised the name of Dr Subhash Chaudhari on Saturday afternoon. The Chancellor’s office communicated the selection to Dr Chaudhari by Saturday. The Chancellor shared the good news first with his daughters. “Gradually, we will introduce new and unique things in university. I want to make university more student-centric and also want to promote research activities.”

Why the process always gets delayed Since long ago the process of selection of new Chancellor starts after end of the tenure of current V-C. The schedule of Vice-Chancellor is with everybody including his date of retirement. The process to appointing new V-C can be started six months prior to the retirement of the serving V-C. This year’s delay did not have anything to do with ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The process began amid the pandemic and the new V-C has assumed the charge during the period. Had the process started much earlier, Dr Kane himself would have handed over the charge to Dr Chaudhari. Ideally the handing over of charge should take place in that manner too.