Chhattisgarh High Court Questions Vice-Chancellor Appointment at Horticultural University

The appointment of Dr. R.R. Saxena as Vice-Chancellor of the Mahatma Gandhi University of Horticulture and Forestry in Chhattisgarh has triggered a legal challenge. The Chhattisgarh High Court has intervened, issuing notices to the state government and university officials to address allegations surrounding the appointment procedure. The court aims to determine if the appointment was conducted in accordance with legal protocols and merit. Dr. Avnindra Kumar Singh filed a petition alleging that the selection process lacked transparency and proper evaluation of candidates’ qualifications. The petition highlights that a panel of eight candidates was forwarded to the Governor’s Secretariat without a comparative assessment, out of an initial 38 applicants. Dr. Singh also claims the selection committee failed to assign merit-based marks and did not comparatively analyze academic credentials and experience. He believes that a fair evaluation would have favored his application. Established by the Chhattisgarh government, the university focuses on advancing higher education, research, and training in horticulture and forestry. IAS Mahadev Kavre initially served as the acting Vice-Chancellor before the formal selection for the permanent role began. During the preliminary hearing, the High Court issued notices requiring responses from the state government and university administration. The court’s focus is now on evaluating whether Dr. R.R. Saxena’s appointment complied with the specified qualifications and procedural requirements. Further hearings in the case are anticipated in the near future.