The Jaganmohan Reddy Government is going ahead with its appointments to the Vice Chancellor posts to the Universities despite a writ petition pending before the High Court of Andhra Pradesh. In an order dated Nov 25, the Governor has appointed three Reddys as the VCs of three prestigious Universities in the State. At the same time, there is a rider in the order saying that these appointments were subject to the outcome of the writ petition concerned in the High Court.

Interestingly, two retired professors were made the VCs of the Universities. Prof. K. Raja Reddy, retired professor, department of South East Asian Studies, SVU, has been appointed as the Vice Chancellor of the Sri Venkateswara University.

Similarly, Prof. Ramakrishna Reddy, retired professor, department of geology, Yogi Vemana University, has been appointed as the Vice Chancellor of Sri Krishnadevaraya University.

Prof. PVGD Prasad Reddy, senior professor, department of computer science and system engineering, AU, has been appointed as the Vice Chancellor of the Andhra University, Visakhapatnam.

The AP Government’s move to appoint VCs bypassing the UGC guidelines has been stuck in the court litigation following petitions filed by some individuals. Even then, the Government preferred to go ahead with the above appointments. It is not known clearly whether these appointments are with immediate effect or from the day when the writ petition in the court will be disposed of in future. As per the orders, the appointments are made. The VCs can function but they would have to abide by whatever orders that may be issued by the High Court. Even if adverse orders come, those may be challenged in the Supreme Court.