SC ALLOWS 9 VCS IN T STATE TO CONTINUE

The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the judgement of the Hyderabad High Court quashing the appointment of nine vicechancellors in the universities in Telangana state and allowed them to continue until further orders.

A three-judge bench of Chief Justice T.S. Thakur and Justices A.M. Kanwilkar and D.Y. Chandrachud stayed the July 28 judgement after hearing the Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi appearing for TS. The AG submitted that the state had modified the UGC regulation to provide for five years’ experience as teacher as against 10 years mentioned in the regulations. Out of nine V-Cs, only two had less number of years and other seven are qualified, he said and cited an earlier apex court ruling which permitted States to accept or modify the UGC regulations.

Acting on a public interest writ petition filed by D. Manohar Rao, the High Court quashed the appointment of nine VCs and directed that fresh appointments be made as per the UGC regulations.