Nalanda University

4 months ago 30
Amartya Sen Nearly Crippled Nalanda University’s Revival:
Amartya Sen's arguable tenure and actions. Don't get maine wrong. Amartya Sen's assistance and lasting are orders of magnitude higher and merit our utmost respect. However, Sen's enactment of the effort to revive the Nalanda University astir scuttled the full project.
It is symptomatic of however casually we instrumentality the task of gathering enduring institutions successful this country.
The history: The Manmohan Singh authorities established a “Nalanda Mentor Group (NMG)” connected 28 June 2007. Amartya Sen was chosen arsenic its head. But Sen paid lone customary visits to Nalanda successful astir a decade-long tenure. Sen lone held the meetings for NMG successful places similar New York, Delhi, Tokyo and Singapore.
Kalam loses it: The past President APJ Abdul Kalam weighed successful to bring immoderate sanity to the situation. Dr Kalam said that posts similar chancellor and vice-chancellor should beryllium reserved for persons with bonzer intellect and absorption expertise. Hinting astatine Sen not taking Nalanda seriously, Kalam suggested that apical officials, particularly the Chancellor and Vice Chancellor beryllium contiguous connected tract - i.e astatine Nalanda successful Bihar.
How the shot was dropped: NMG - headed by Sen - was required to taxable last recommendations for a caller assemblage wrong 9 months of its formation. It took them much than 36 months - 9 times much clip than allotted. High profile, arguable names specified arsenic Ramachandra Guha and Pratap Bhanu Mehta were recommended to beryllium appointed Rector - erstwhile the NMG had nary authorization to bash so! Other appointments were besides made without owed ineligible authority.
CAG gets furious: The statutory audit assemblage of the national authorities had galore colourful things to accidental astir however Nalanda University was run. On delays: "The assemblage failed to found schools successful clip and could not commencement the operation of assemblage field work"
On prime of VC: "Leave the planetary standard, adjacent standards of enactment of VC suggested by UGC were not followed successful the enactment of VC (designate)....selection of officers was made connected the ground of prime and take and not by giving wide publicity"
Shiv Shankar Menon, the NSA during Congress-led UPA government, was besides among those who objected to immoderate of the fiscal dealings and governance issues astatine Nalanda nether Sen.
Wither nationalist will? A task specified arsenic the revival of an past assemblage - 1 with the sanction and estimation of Nalanda should person been taken with utmost seriousness. And yet, we find that it took america 17 years to inaugurate a ample field from the time the Nalanda Mentors Group was formed.
How galore years were mislaid to the callous mode the NMG was handled by its archetypal leaders?
Amartya Sen yet discontinue starring Nalanda University aft blaming the Narendra Modi led authorities of interference.
Post script: During 1 gathering the UPA epoch NSA Shiv Shankar Menon was reportedly wondering however the assemblage could beryllium fixed diplomatic status. The NSA said the issues were (i) Salaries, (ii) Application of UGC norms, (iii) Audit by CAG and (iv) Reservations successful admission.
Sen wanted the authorities to wage but offered nary accountability successful return.
The caller 400+ acres field astatine Rajgir is present open.
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