Editor, TOI

Selection criterion of 1st V.C of Presidency University
Sir,
Perhaps, it’s difficult, if not impossible, to have the first Vice-chancellor of Presidency University fully detached from influence of Alimuddin Street as the Search team itself, some say, stink CPM, though not very strongly. Your report suggests Jayati Ghosh , a renowned economist and a vastly learned personality might be the first choice of the Search team as the Vice-chancellor. But you’ve mentioned the lady writes articles in Ganashakti, a CPM party organ. How can one who writes in a CPM party paper be detached from the ambit of influence of CPM? If the first criterion for the Vice-chancellor elect is his or her detachment from CPM, how could the candidature of Jayati Ghosh be considered? That apart, how can an economist of her eminence write in an humdrum daily like Ganasakti. and why not only in elite paper like Economic Times of your publication ?It amply proves how much committed she’s to CPM and isn’t it the sufficient ground to disqualify her as a prospective V.C of Presidency University, may be her scholastic depth and erudition are beyond question? Thank you.