With the government forming a panel to select a vice chancellor for the beleaguered Assam Women’s University there is a ray of hope that the only women’s university in the Northeast will get a permanent vice-chancellor, nine years after establishment in 2013.
Barring one year the University, has been run by a mentor and at present an ad hoc VC, both borrowed from the Assam Agricultural University.
A notification issued on February 16, 2021 from the Governor’s office stated the panel included KK Aggarwal, chairman of the National Board of Accreditation, New Delhi as the Nominee of the Chancellor.
Apart from Aggarwal, the panel also comprised of Mridul Hazarika, former Vice-Chancellor, Gauhati University, as nominee elected by Executive Council, Assam Women’s University, and Nilima Bhagawati, retired professor, Gauhati University as the nominee of the government.
The committee is requested to recommend names within a period of three months from the date of issue of this notification for an appointment of the new vice-chancellor of Assam Women’s University.
From October 14, 2020, the Director of Research ( Agri) Ashok Bhattacharyya had been asked by the Governor to assume a temporary charge as Vice-Chancellor of Assam Women’s University.
Bhattacharyya was then also serving as AAU in charge VC having taken charge from AAU VC KM Bujarbaruah on August 1, 2019.