SUBHASH MISHRA

Dhanbad, May 7: Teachers’ associations have expressed their satisfaction over the appointment of regular Vice-Chancellors (V-Cs) at Vinoba Bhave University (VBU) Hazaribagh and Sido Kanhu Murmu University (SKMU) Dumka. They extended their gratitude to Chancellor (Governor) Santosh Kumar Gangwar for addressing the long-pending demand.

Vacant Posts for Over a Year
The position of Vice-Chancellor at VBU Hazaribagh had been vacant since May 31, 2023, following the completion of Dr. Mukul Narayan Deo’s three-year tenure. Similarly, SKMU Dumka’s V-C position had been vacant since June 2023, after Dr. Sonajharia Minz completed her term.

On Tuesday, Chancellor Santosh Kumar Gangwar appointed Prof. Chandrabhushan Sharma and Prof. (Dr.) Kunul Kandir as the new Vice-Chancellors of VBU and SKMU, respectively.
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Prof. Chandrabhushan Sharma, a professor at Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and director of the School of Education, was appointed as V-C of VBU. Prof. (Dr.) Kunul Kandir, a retired professor from Ranchi University, was named the Vice-Chancellor of SKMU.
Teachers’ Associations React
Dr. Binod Ranjan, General Secretary of the VBU Teachers’ Association, welcomed the appointment, stating that the lack of a regular V-C had left several issues unresolved for over two years. He expressed hope that these long-standing problems for both teachers and students would now be addressed.

“Prof. Sharma is a renowned scholar with vast administrative experience from institutions like JNU. We are confident that his expertise will benefit the university, teachers, and students,” Dr. Ranjan remarked.
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Dr. Santosh Kumar Sil, General Secretary of the SKMU Teachers’ Association, also praised the Chancellor’s decision, highlighting the significant disruption caused by the absence of a regular V-C. “The research and Ph.D. processes had completely stalled after Prof. Minz’s tenure ended. With the appointment of a regular Vice-Chancellor, we hope that our ongoing issues will finally be resolved,” Dr. Sil said.