[Assam] Prof OK Medhi new GU VC (The Assam Tribune, Tuesday, August 19, 2008 )

[Buljit Buragohain]

Prof OK Medhi new GU VC
Staff reporter
 GUWAHATI, Aug 18 – Prof Okhil Kumar Medhi has been appointed Vice-Chancellor of Gauhati University (GU). According to Raj Bhawan sources here, Governor Shiv Charan Mathur, who is also the Chancellor of the University, today put his signature on the relevant documents clearing the appointment of Prof Medhi. Prof Medhi has been officiating as the acting Vice-Chancellor of the University since end June last. The appointment letter issued by the Chancellor’s office today stated that Prof Medhi was appointed GU VC ‘with effect from (his) taking over charge.’

Prof Medhi, the senior most professor of GU, is a former Dean of the Faculty of Science of the University, besides being a former head of its Chemistry Department.

During the 1990s, he carried out postdoctoral research in a British university on a Commonwealth Fellowship and in the same decade, he carried out another research project in the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai on a UGC National Fellowship. 

Talking to this newspaper, Prof Medhi said that he would attach top most priority to the strict adherence to the academic calendar of the University. He would then opt for introduction of the job-oriented technical courses in the fields of engineering and management. Extending support to the colleges of the backward areas like the tribal areas, is another area of priority for Prof Medhi. He said that he would engage himself in mobilising support towards improvement in the condition of the colleges of these areas.

A GU proposal for improving condition of some BTAD area colleges is under preparation and soon it would be submitted to the UGC, he said.

Elaborating his point on introduction of job-oriented technical courses, he said that separate schools of technology and management were planned to introduce courses in electronics, computer science and biotechnology and in hotel, tourism management etc.

Moreover, he said, a project on setting up a biodiversity park and a research centre was under preparation. This will help research activities in medicinal plants, orchids and floriculture, he said.

The vacancy against the post of Vice-Chancellor of the University occurred following the resignation of Prof Amarjyoti Choudhury from the post on May 10 last. Prof Choudhury tendered his resignation alleging that the State Government had created a compelling situation for the University to raise tuition fees of the students. 

Besides, Prof Choudhury alleged that the Government had failed to release ten per cent of the UGC arrears to the teachers and employees of the University. There was no Government concurrence to the University proposals for raising the retirement age and for the contribution to the corpus fund meant for the pensioners.

“I strongly believe that the Vice-Chancellor should not hold on to power, if he realises that he cannot translate his dreams into reality for financial compulsions beyond his control,” Prof Choudhury had said in a statement on May 10 after tendering his resignation. On the same grounds, he had offered to resign from the post earlier on September 26, 2007.
 
(The Assam Tribune,Tuesday, August 19, 2008 )
 


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