Hectic lobbying is underway for the post of second member of Himachal Pradesh private educational institution regulatory commission with as many as 43 influential persons applying for the coveted post.
Among the applicants are retired academicians, retired judges, lawyers, trained graduate teachers, retired armymen and several other persons weilding influence in the corridors of power. They stand in queue for the post of second member of the commission, which was created by the incumbent Congress Government.
Nadda, who is the brother of BJP general secretary Jagat Prakash Nadda, had resigned on Thursday afternoon following Himachal Pradesh University’s refusal to extend his study leave. The resignation leaves the commission with no member and now both the posts of member are vacant.
The previous BJP Government had constituted the commission which is headed by retired additional chief secretary Sarojini Ganju Thakur despite stiff resistance from the private universities who have filed a petition in the High Court challenging the decision of the government to constitute a commission.
Ten private universities of the State had jointly filed the petition challenging the decision of the Government. Total number of private universities is 16 and the commission monitors the quality of education provided by these universities.
last month, the State Government had advertised for the post of second member of the regulatory commission and last date for filing of application was fixed as April 30. At that time, Jaggat Bhushan Nadda was lone member of the commission and the second post was created by the State Government.
Now, with the resignation of Nadda, further scrambling will intensify for this post also as now both the posts are vacant. What makes the race more interesting is the number and type of applicants which include retired district and sessions judge Bl Soni who exonerated Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh a day before the swearing-in ceremony in the infamous CD case for which he had to resign from the Union Cabinet.
Among others are former advisor, education, Anita Rao, a close relative of former Excise and Taxation Minister Rangila Ram Rao, considered close to Virbhadra Singh.
Another applicant is Sunil Kumar Sharma, district congress chief of Hamirpur district and considered close to PCC chief Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu.
Satya Verat Bhardwaj, former head of the Bio-Technology department at the Horticulture and Forestry University, Nauni in Solan, Capt Bidhi Chand (retd), Manish Verma (Noida) and Santosh Kumar from Chopal are also in the race.
Some other applicants are Kulbushan Sharma from Hamirpur, Jitender Sharma from Sarkhaghat and latest to apply is former education director OP Sharma and AR Chauhan, former registrar of HPU.
The State Government is likely to constitute a select committee to shortlist a suitable candidate due to the large number of applicants for the post.