Section 10 of The Indira Gandhi National Open University Act, 1985
- (1)The Vice-Chancellor shall be appointed by the Visitor in such manner, for such term and on such emoluments and other conditions of service as may be prescribed by the Statutes.
- (2)The Vice-Chancellor shall be the principle academic and executive officer of the University, and shall exercise supervision and control over the affairs of the University and give effect to the decisions of the all the authorities of the University.
- (3)The Vice-Chancellor may, if he is of the opinion that immediate action is necessary on any matter, exercise any power conferred on any authority of the University by or under this Act and shall report to such authority the action taken by him on such matter: Provided that if the authority concerned is of the opinion that such action ought not to have been taken, it may refer the matter to the Visitor whose decision thereon shall be final: Provided further that any person in the service of the University who is aggrieved by the action taken by the Vice-Chancellor under this sub-section, shall have the right to appeal against such action to the Board of Management within ninety days from the date on which such action is communicated to him and thereupon the Board of Management may confirm, modify or reverse the action taken by the Vice-Chancellor.
- (4)The Vice-Chancellor, if he in of the opinion that any decision of any authority is beyond the powers of the authority conferred by the provisions of this Act, Statutes or Ordinances or that any decision taken is not in the interests of the University, may ask the authority concerned to review its decision within sixty days of such decision and if the authority refuses to review its decision either in whole or in part or no decision is taken by it within the said period of sixty days, the matter shall be referred to the Visitor whose decision thereon shall be final: Provided that the decision of the authority concerned shall remain suspended during the period of review of such decision by the authority or the Visitor, as the case may be, under this sub-section.
- (5)The Vice-Chancellor shall exercise such other powers and perform such other functions as may be prescribed by the Statutes and the Ordinances.
Summary
- The Vice-Chancellor is appointed by the Visitor and serves as the principal academic and executive officer.
- This officer is responsible for supervising the University's affairs and making sure decisions from all authorities are carried out.
- In urgent cases, the Vice-Chancellor can take immediate action on matters that normally belong to other University authorities.
- The Vice-Chancellor can ask any authority to review a decision if it seems outside their power or bad for the University.
- During a review by an authority or the Visitor, the original decision is suspended and does not take effect.
Practical examples
FAQ
1. Who has the final say in appointing the Vice-Chancellor?
The Visitor (the President of India) appoints the Vice-Chancellor.
2. Can the Vice-Chancellor act on behalf of the Board of Management in an emergency?
Yes, if immediate action is necessary, they can exercise powers of any authority but must report it later.
3. What happens if a committee refuses to change a decision the Vice-Chancellor asked them to review?
The matter is referred to the Visitor, and the Visitor's decision is final.
Test yourself
Q1.Under Section 10 of The Indira Gandhi National Open University Act, 1985, if the Vice-Chancellor takes immediate action on a matter normally handled by the Academic Council, what must happen next?
Q2.According to Section 10 of The Indira Gandhi National Open University Act, 1985, what is the time limit for an aggrieved employee to appeal an emergency action taken by the Vice-Chancellor?
Q3.Under Section 10 of The Indira Gandhi National Open University Act, 1985, what happens to a decision while it is being reviewed at the Vice-Chancellor's request?
Q4.Under Section 10 of The Indira Gandhi National Open University Act, 1985, and Statute 1 of the Second Schedule, how long is the standard term of office for a Vice-Chancellor?