Editorial: When Politics Overshadows Education: The Leadership Crisis at Palampur Agriculture University

When Politics Overshadows Education: The Leadership Crisis at Palampur Agriculture University:

Editorial :By B.K. Sood, Chief Editor

The Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur, once a symbol of agricultural innovation and academic excellence, today stands uncertain — not because of a lack of intellect or resources, but due to the absence of regular leadership. Professor Dr. Ashok Kumar Panda has recently taken charge as Vice Chancellor, yet his appointment is purely temporary. Since Dr. H.K. Chaudhary completed his tenure, no regular Vice Chancellor has been appointed, and this prolonged vacuum has gradually weakened the university’s administrative and academic core.

For months now, the state has been witnessing an ongoing tussle between the Himachal Pradesh Government and the Raj Bhavan over the authority to appoint Vice Chancellors in state-run universities. The Raj Bhavan, being the constitutional Chancellor, asserts its right to make appointments, while the State Government insists that such decisions must be made only on its advice. This constant power struggle has left institutions like Palampur Agriculture University caught in the middle — their progress stalled and their autonomy compromised. Advertisements for the Vice Chancellor’s post are issued, withdrawn, and reissued in a political tug of war that benefits no one and harms everyone associated with the university.

A Vice Chancellor holding only temporary charge, as in the present case, has almost no decision-making powers. They can conduct routine work, forward files, and chair meetings, but cannot implement any policy decisions, reforms, or major academic initiatives. The result is predictable — files keep moving, but progress stands still. Research collaborations remain unsigned, projects delayed, and administrative reforms indefinitely postponed. Faculty morale dips, students lose direction, and the institution begins to function mechanically rather than meaningfully.

The deeper loss is academic, not administrative. The university’s research and extension activities, which directly impact farmers and the rural economy, are stagnating. Without strong, empowered leadership, the university cannot chart a long-term vision for innovation or scientific advancement. What was once the pride of Himachal’s agricultural education has now been reduced to routine paperwork and caretaker management.

It is both ironic and unfortunate that this institutional paralysis continues despite the presence of highly educated and capable individuals in both the Raj Bhavan and the State Government. When two constitutional authorities, both claiming to act in the public interest, fail to cooperate, the casualty is always the institution — and in this case, it is the students, teachers, and the very spirit of higher education. Politics and education cannot share the same battleground; one demands power, the other demands purpose.

The situation calls for statesmanship, not stalemate. The Raj Bhavan and the State Government must rise above procedural differences and act in the true interest of higher education. Appointing a regular Vice Chancellor is not merely a bureaucratic formality; it is a moral and academic necessity. Palampur Agriculture University deserves more than an officiating head — it deserves a visionary leader with authority to take decisions that shape its future. Only then can this institution regain its stature as a center of research, innovation, and service to Himachal’s farmers and youth.

Until that happens, the university will continue to function — but without forward motion, without confidence, and without the leadership that once made it a source of pride for the state.

— B.K. Sood, Chief Editor, Tri City Times