It’s a shake-up time for universities in AP

Tirupati : Puttingan end to the speculations after the change of guard in the state, vice-chancellors of Sri Venkateswara University and Dravidian University have resigned. After the government led by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu took over, the focus was shifted on higher education institutions as well amid criticisms of too much political involvement in universities during the previous government.

Immediately after the YSRCP government came to power in 2019, the party cadres did not allow the vice-chancellors appointed by the previous government to continue and made them resign forcibly in some universities. SV University and Dravidian University were also in that list. Repeating the same now, the students’ unions affiliated to the TDP put pressure on SVU vice-chancellor Prof V Srikanth Reddy to step down and staged a protest and abused him in his chambers.

Following this, he left the chambers and did not attend his duties from the campus since June 7. He made his presence felt from his bungalow to look after the urgent work only. It was learnt that he had made attempts to get clearance from the government to continue in office as he has completed only six months out of his 3-year tenure. But as he reportedly did not get any positive signals, a couple of days back Srikanth Reddy has even vacated the official bungalow and sent his resignation to the concerned.

The registrar resigned on June 5 itself, a day after the counting of votes while the rector post has been lying vacant for over a year now. Accordingly, the university is left with no head to lead the academic and administrative affairs. Before stepping down, Srikanth Reddy has appointed joint registrar Chandraiah as in-charge registrar.

At Dravidian University in Kuppam, long-standing controversies prompted Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu during a recent visit to announce comprehensive reforms aimed at enhancing its reputation. Consequently, vice-chancellor Prof Kolakaluri Madhu Jyothi resigned on Friday, having completed six months of her tenure since her appointment in December 2023.

Reports indicate that the government orally instructed other Vice Chancellors to resign as well, although some have resisted, citing their three-year appointments and questioning the necessity of premature resignation. The unfolding developments will reveal the government’s strategy to overhaul universities, potentially to diminish political influence within campuses, particularly from the YSRCP.