Gujarat Global News Network, Ahmedabad
Ultimately Modi Government appointed A M Sheikh as Vice Chancellor of Anand Agriculture University, keeping the post of Vice Chancellor vacant for almost a year. The government wanted to extend the term of former VC M C Varshney by extending the age limit of Vice-Chancellors in Gujarat. However, this could not be done because of the firm stand taken by Gujarat governor Kamla Beniwal.
After the retirement of M C Varshney last year, A M Sheikh, senior most faculty, was appointed in-charge Vice Chancellor of the AAU. Sheikh is agriculture meteorology expert and is an alumnus of Gujarat Agriculture University. 62-year old Sheikh is dean of Agriculture faculty and principal of B A College of Agriculture. Interestingly, he had studied in the same college.
A month before the retirement of Varshney A M Sheikh, Modi government had passed a resolution extending the age limit of retirement of Vice-Chancellor from 65 years to 70 years. The idea was to extend the term of the then VC M C Varshney. However, Gujarat governor Kamla Beniwal questioned the rational of the move and the urgency to sign the ordinance.
Later, Kamla Beniwal formed a four member search committee having O P Gupta of Rajasthan Agriculture University as its chairman. Other members were former Agriculture Secretary Dr. K N Shelat, retired principal of Dairy Science College of AAU, J M Dave and Director General of ICAR, Arvind Kumar.
Though the name was cleared within three months, the Gujarat government did not announce it. On February 24, Kamla Beniwal wrote to Gujarat University to expedite the matter and ultimately the Modi government announced the name of Sheikh.
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