Himachal withdraws ads for VCs in farm varsities
According to a notification issued by the Agriculture Department, the advertisements — published on July 21, 2025, by the Secretary to the Governor’s office — were found to be inconsistent with provisions of the Himachal Pradesh Universities of Agriculture, Horticulture and Forestry Act, 1986, as well as lacking approval from the competent authority.
The Himachal Pradesh government has formally withdrawn two advertisements issued for the selection of Vice-Chancellors at Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry (Nauni, Solan) and CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya (Palampur), declaring any action taken under them “null and void.”
According to a notification issued by the Agriculture Department, the advertisements — published on July 21, 2025, by the Secretary to the Governor’s office — were found to be inconsistent with provisions of the Himachal Pradesh Universities of Agriculture, Horticulture and Forestry Act, 1986, as well as lacking approval from the competent authority.
The matter arose after the Himachal Pradesh Universities of Agriculture, Horticulture and Forestry (Amendment) Bill, 2023, passed by the Legislative Assembly in September last year, was returned by the Governor with observations. The Cabinet, in its meeting on July 29, 2025, decided that the selection process should be deferred until the Bill is reconsidered in the upcoming Assembly session scheduled from August 18 to September 2.
The notification cites the opinion of the Advocate General, who stated that the Secretary to the Governor was not empowered under the University Act to issue such advertisements, which should instead come from the Registrar of the university or the Secretary of the concerned administrative department. He further pointed out that the advertisement’s eligibility criteria excluded several equivalent senior ranks in the universities, and that the selection process should be restarted after the enactment of the new law.
The Agriculture Department has communicated its decision to the Governor’s Secretariat, clarifying that the advertisements stand withdrawn, and any proceedings initiated under them will not be valid.
