At least 17 of India’s most prestigious educational institutions are currently being run by interim heads. It is a glaring indictment of administrative inertia at the highest levels. Institutions such as the IITs, IIMs, NITs, IISERs, and Central Universities – all designated as Institutes of National Importance – are meant to be flagbearers of academic excellence. Yet, their prolonged leadership void speaks to a systemic failure that could undermine both their global standing and domestic credibility. The standard practice dictates that the Government begin the process of selecting new leadership at least six months before the incumbent’s term ends. Yet a troubling pattern of delay and complacency, with some institutions functioning without regular leadership for over a year. For instance, IIM Calcutta and NIT Srinagar have been under interim heads since early 2024. IGNOU, a vital institution with wide national outreach, has not had a regular VC since 2023.
Such lapses are not just procedural delays; they have far-reaching consequences. Interim heads, often appointed from within the institutions, typically avoid long-term planning or taking bold decisions due to their temporary mandate. This hampers policy continuity affects faculty recruitment, slows down infrastructure projects, and diminishes the institution’s ability to forge international collaborations or innovate academically. Equally concerning is the opacity in the appointment process. Despite the involvement of statutory bodies and the President of India in approving appointments, the lack of timely follow-through indicates either bureaucratic bottlenecks or political indecision. The recent observations of the Parliamentary Standing Committee underscore the gravity of the issue. Their explicit expression of anguish should serve as a wake-up call for the Ministry of Education.
This leadership vacuum at the helm of top institutions risks eroding institutional morale and diminishing student confidence. At a time when India aspires to become a global education hub through initiatives like the NEP 2020, such gaps severely undercut those ambitions. It is important to address this crisis with urgency and transparency.
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