Gist of EPW May Week 2, 2022

The Economic and Political Weekly (EPW) is an important source of study material for IAS, especially for the current affairs segment. In this section, we give you the gist of the EPW magazine every week. The important topics covered in the weekly are analyzed and explained in a simple language, all from a UPSC perspective.
TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Autonomy and Appointment of University Vice Chancellors
2. India’s Arctic Policy

1. Autonomy and Appointment of University Vice Chancellors

Context

This article examines the process of appointment of vice-chancellors in the universities in India and elsewhere.

Details

• The process of appointment of vice-chancellors to Indian universities followed for a long time was based on the colonial practice, according to which the chancellor, who is an ex officio governor of a state, is authorised to select the vice-chancellor of the state universities among the senior professors of the university or from outside the university.
• Later, the University Grants Commission (UGC) initiated a search committee procedure to select a panel of individuals, out of which the chancellor recommended the person to be appointed as the vice-chancellor.

The procedure followed in various Indian states to select a vice-chancellor

• The vice-chancellor is selected on the recommendation of the search committee, either appointed by the state government or by the chancellors of universities.
  • This practice is followed in states like Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Maharashtra.
  • Here the options to the chancellor are very limited as the state government forwards only two names out of the panel of candidates to the chancellor. 
• The recommendations of the search committee are required along with the effective consultation with the state government.
  • In states like Rajasthan, Bihar, and Karnataka, not just consultation but the state government’s concurrence is also required.
  • In Punjab, the chancellor appoints the vice-chancellor only on the advice of the state government.
  • In West Bengal, the power to appoint a vice-chancellor is vested with the Governor, but the state government performs the function in the name of the Governor.
• The recommendation of the search committee is needed, but the decision to select the candidates is not with the chancellor but by the state government. 
  • Gujarat and Telangana follow this procedure.
  • Tamil Nadu also passed a bill in its legislative assembly to adopt a similar procedure. 
• According to the Central Universities Act, 2009 and the prescription of other statutes, the vice-chancellors in all the central universities shall be appointed by a Visitor among the names recommended by a search committee whose names are forwarded by the central government to the visitor. 
  • The President of India acts as the Visitor to the University.
  • In a few states, the members of a search committee are represented by individuals suggested by the executive council, with the representation of teachers.

The role of the University Grants Commission (UGC)

• Education comes under the Concurrent List in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution 
• However, entry 66 of the Union List mandates the “coordination and determination of standards in institutions for higher education or research and scientific and technical institutions”. This provides the Centre with the authority over higher education. 
• The UGC plays a key role in standard-setting even in the case of appointments in universities and colleges.
• The Supreme Court has also held that any appointment of vice-chancellors made against the provisions of the UGC Regulations can be said to be in violation of the statutory provisions and thus warranting a writ of “quo warranto”.
• Further, the court has said that in a case of any conflict between state legislation and central legislation, central legislation shall prevail by applying the provisions of repugnancy provided in Article 254 of the Constitution.

Concerns with the current procedure of appointment of vice-chancellors

• Although the procedure of selection of the vice-chancellors of universities in India has performed well due to the impartial judgements in the selection process, this impartiality in the judgement seems to have been diluted in recent years. 
• The chancellor, who is the ex-officio governor, has been seen to have lost the moral authority of impartial judgment under the influence of political control of the governments at both the centre as well as states. 
• The search committee has also been set up in a discretionary manner and the members of the search committee are seen to have their own prejudices and entrenched biases. 
• The governments also enjoy a high degree of influence on these search committees thereby manipulating the selection process. 
• The move by certain states to limit the authority of the chancellor is also a huge cause of concern as the state governments may directly influence the selection process.

Procedures followed in various other countries

• In European countries such as Germany and France, a collegium of professors is authorised to select the vice-chancellor.
• In Austria, the powers to appoint a vice-chancellor are vested with the university council. 
• In Oxford, the procedure followed is that the council selects a person to search for the vice-chancellor. 
• In the US, the board of trustees is authorised to search and appoint the vice-chancellor.

Way forward

• The procedures followed in the Western countries to select or elect the vice-chancellor must be looked at and can be adopted if found feasible. 
• The selection process must be impartial and there should be provisions for close scrutiny, adequate checks and balances, transparency, and political non-interference in the selection process. 
• Also, the provision of public opinion can also be facilitated by putting the names of the candidates with their achievements on the websites of the universities. 
• Also, the candidates for the role can be selected after an interview process that involves a presentation from the candidate before a group of professors and experts on the vision of the university and a road map for the future. 

Conclusion

The principles of impartiality and transparency in the selection process of vice-chancellors in the universities are essential for upholding the autonomy of the universities in India, strengthening the governance structure of public universities and improving the quality of education and research.

2. India’s Arctic Policy

Context

This article discusses India’s Arctic policy, key areas of engagement and the way forward.

Background

• In 2013, Asian countries such as India, China, Singapore, South Korea, and Japan joined as observer countries to the Arctic Council.
• This move highlighted the importance of the Arctic region in their foreign policy despite having a distant geographical location. 
• As India was accorded observer status, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a policy article focusing on scientific research, energy, climate, and the environment.
• India in the past has been involved extensively in polar exploration and India’s main int­erest was focused around the Antarctic region, while Arctic exploration began much later. ­

India’s Arctic Policy

• At present, the Arctic region has very little focus within the wider Indian foreign policy. 
• India’s engagement in the Arctic region occupies very little space in the minds of Indians as well as strategic or foreign policy experts. 
• In this context, the Centre recently released India’s Arctic Policy which envisages India’s improved cooperation with the resource-rich and rapidly transforming region.
  • This policy is based on the draft Arctic policy released in Dec­ember 2020. 
• India was only one of the four observer countries that did not have an Arctic policy formulated. 
• The Arctic has been experiencing the brunt of global warming with land and sea temperatures increasing three times faster than the global average. 
  • India with its vast coastline and islands is particularly vulnerable to the effect of these changes as it affects crucial aspects of national development like economic security, water security, sustainability, weather conditions, monsoon patterns, coastal erosion and glacial melting.

The tenets of India’s Arctic Policy

• India aims to contribute through its maritime and scientific capacity as part of a commitment to the development of the Arctic.
• India predicts a future in which the present situation of cooperation and the interaction between the Arctic states and the observer states continues. 
  • India prioritises actions that mitigate environmental degradation and believes that sustainable development is crucial in the region. 
• India will abide by international law and expects other countries to do so in accordance with the UNCLOS. 
• India supports the current international legal regime and maritime policies in the Arctic and will take part actively to maintain stable and conflict-free status in the Arctic region.
• India will undertake action to address current practical challenges by expanding its bilateral cooperation with the Arctic Council members and observer states. 

Six pillars of India’s Arctic Policy

Image Source: Geospatial World

• Science and Research
  • India seeks to improve its cooperation with international research institutions in the Arctic.
  • India can provide services such as telecommunications and connectivity, maritime safety, search and rescue, hydrographic surveys, climate modelling, environmental monitoring and surveillance and sustainable management of marine resources in the Arctic region.
  • Further India’s space capabilities in terms of rem­ote sensing, the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration–Indian Space Research Organisation Synthetic Aperture Radar mission (to be launched in 2023) can contribute to the region.
• Climate and Environmental Protection 
  • The aspect highlights the importance of climate change to India’s scientific research in the Arctic.
  • India has expressed its willingness to participate in research; environmental management; emergency preparedness, prevention, and response groups of the Arctic
• Economic and Human Development Cooperation
  • India aims to engage in economic cooperation that is sustainable and is of value to the Arctic residents and indigenous communities.
  • The draft policy mentions that the Arctic is the largest unexplored prospective area for hydrocarbons remaining on earth. India’s current investment in Russia is 15 billion USD in oil and gas projects. There are similar opportunities in other Arctic ­nations as well.
  • The Human Development aspect includes the fields of governance, establishing low-cost social networks, healthcare, and tourism.
  • Studying linkages between polar regions and the Himalayas.
• Transportation and Connectivity
  • The increased usage of the Northern Sea Route (NSR) provides opportunities for India to collaborate with shipbuilders who specialise in ice-class vessels for polar operations and opportunities for Indian seafarers to crew ships engaged in Arctic transits.
  • The linking of the International North-South Transport Corridor with the Unified Deep Water System of Russia and its further extension to the Arctic is also mentioned.
• Governance and International Cooperation 
  • India seeks to promote security and stability in the Arctic region in accordance with international treaties and covenants. 
  • Uphold international law and in particular UNCLOS, including the rights and freedoms.
• National Capacity Building
  • India plans to enhance its capabilities and augment its capacities with the Arctic, from science and exploration to seafaring and economic cooperation, which will be supported by the development of a robust human, institutional and financial base to make India self-reliant.

Significance of Arctic Region for India’s Energy Security 

• Access to the natural resources of the Arctic is crucial to India, which is the third largest energy consumer in the world after the US and China.
• India relies heavily on foreign supplies of hydrocarbons.
• India’s bilateral relations with the key Arctic players such as Russia, the US, Canada and the Scan­dinavian countries suggest that India aims to ensure energy security through the diversification of energy sources.
• The Indian government supports the inve­stment activities of both individual Indian oil and gas companies and consortiums aimed at expanding the Indian presence in foreign markets.
• Arctic gas is cost-effective and with a significant percentage of world gas reserves located in the Arctic, India will need to leverage this resource.

Conclusion

The recent engagements by India in the developments of the Arctic region and its relations with the Arctic states is a welcome sign and the formulation of the draft Arctic policy is a nascent step towards furthering India’s interests in the region. The draft policy states that “India’s interests in the Arctic are scientific, environmental, economic as well as strategic.”

Read previous EPW articles in the link.

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