HUBBALLI: Days before the lone faculty member at its Kannada language chair retires, Jawaharlal Nehru University has called for applications for the post of professor.
On July 28, TOI reported that the chair faces closure as the Delhi-based premier varsity has remained silent on recruitment for months. Following the report, the Kannada and
culture department of the state government approached JNU officials last week.
Syed Ainul Hassan, dean of
School of Languages, Literature and Culture at JNU, said a meeting was held in this regard on August 1. "We issued the advertisement notification on the same day and last date to receive applications is August 10. We will hold another meeting and finalise the candidate by August 20, when
professor Purushothama Bilimale retires," he said.
Bilimale, whose three-year term ended in September 2018, continued for two more years. "JNU could have invited scholars from Karnataka as per norms, but going by a democratic process, it has invited applications so that eligible candidates can apply," he said.
"JNU officials informed us that they have formed a search committee to choose the right person. The Kannada language chair will be continued," Kannada and culture minister
CT Ravi said. "We are also working to regularise the chair with a UGC-sanctioned post to make it permanent . We've sought a report on KLC's five-year performance and its activities, including publication, research, translation works, collaborative programmes etc. Based on that, we will decide on the next course of action to make the chair permanent."