The suspense over the next Vice-Chancellor of Karnataka State Akkamahadevi Women’s University has remained unsolved with the government continuing to delay the appointment of the VC for the lone Women’s University of the state.
It has been almost five months since the tenure of the last VC ended and the university has remained without an active VC ever since. In the absence of an active VC, Omkar Kakade, the Head of the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication has held the position of acting VC of the university.
The Committee however has reportedly submitted its recommendations of the candidates for the post about three months ago, but the government is yet to take a final call on the matter. Sources have added that three names recommended by the committee for the post are Prof. Pushpa Savadatti, Prof. Tulasi Mala, and Prof. Gomati Devi.
Since Prof. Gomati Devi has already been appointed as the Vice-Chancellor of Bangalore University, the competition is now left between Prof. Savadatti and Prof. Tulasi Mala.
It is said that Prof. Savadatti is in the race for the post of VC of the Central University of Gulbarga also, however since some other candidates are also in the fray, thus she is trying her luck in Women’s university here.
The allegations against the government is that despite the committee suggesting the names three months ago, the government has been postponing the decision citing various reasons including recently held by-elections and other administrative works.
Amid this, it is learned that both candidates are making efforts to get the final approval in their favor, for which they are in touch with influential leaders.
Once appointed, the VC will become the fifth VC to take charge of the University since its establishment in Bijapur.
After the previous Congress government made an amendment in Karnataka University Act to reserve the post of VC for women only in this university, male professors cannot become VC, however, they can become acting VC.
Though before the government made the amendment itself, no male VC was appointed, but the amendment has officially removed all possibility of male professors elevating their position to the post of VC of women’s university.
Meanwhile, it would be interesting to see when the government will take final decisions and who will become the next VC.
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New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday identified agriculture, education and health as three sectors where he believes technology can play a big role, and highlighted efforts of his government.
In an interaction with philanthropist and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, Modi said he used to hear of digital divide in the world and had decided that he will not allow this to happen in India.
He said he wants to allocate funds to scientists for local research in cervical cancer to develop vaccines at a minimal cost and that his new government will work to ensure vaccination, especially for all girls.
Modi has frequently expressed confidence that he will return to power for a third straight term after the general elections.
Digital public infrastructure is required, the prime minister said, with Gates adding that India is leading the way.
Speaking on the issue of climate change, Modi said the world needs to change parameters like use of electricity or steel to define development as it is anti-climate and should instead adopt terminologies like green GDP and green employment.
Discussing the issue of Artificial Intelligence (AI), he said it should not be seen as a magic tool or as a replacement for people's laziness to do some work.
Prime Minister Modi noted as to how he used AI in the G20 summit for translating speeches and also his addresses in different languages in several events. A technology like ChatGPT should be used to constantly improve oneself, he added.
Highlighting his use of AI, Modi asked Gates to take a selfie through his (NaMo) app and then showed him how it could be located through the face-recognition technology.
Modi said he believed in democratisation of technology as it gives everyone an equal opportunity and added that he is taking technology to villages.
To a query from Gates, he said he is fascinated by technology but is not a slave to it. "I am not an expert but have childlike curiosity for technology," he said
Speaking of digital revolution in India, the prime minister said he believed that nobody should have monopoly over it and it should be driven by the common people.
In this context, he highlighted the "Drone Didi" scheme for women to use drones in agriculture and the initiative to provide long-distance treatment to patients.
Technology is being used to plug the shortcomings of teachers in education, Modi said.
He said digital technology will have a big role in the fourth industrial revolution and he is confident that India will do well.
Modi noted as to how India used the CoWin platform to provide Covid vaccination slots and certificates to people while the world was struggling to do it during the pandemic.