Visakhapatnam: The Andhra University executive council on Saturday appointed Prof K Niranjan as the new registrar of the varsity. He replaced Prof V Umamaheswara Rao.The abrupt replacement of the incumbent registrar has stirred up a debate in the university circles. Speculations over the differences between Prof Umamaheswara Rao and the vice chancellor G Nageswara Rao for the last two years have come to fore once again. It was learnt that the decision was taken at the executive council meet conducted on Friday night. It is also reported that several Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders, who are unhappy with the sudden development, have met the vice chancellor on Saturday. A few leaders from the city are gearing to bring the issue to the notice of chief minister N Chandrbabu Naidu.Prof Rao, who completed three years as the registrar this February, was given an extension. He was due to retire in February 2019. Following due course of action the vice chancellor had appointed the members to key posts after taking office. Hence, the sudden decision to replace the registrar has raised eyebrows.It is yet to be found out if the decision has the chief minister’s approval. Although, the executive council is the highest authority of the varsity and is empowered to appoint a new registrar, the decision has drawn attention because varsity appointments have been indirectly monitored by successive ruling parties.A source, who is in the know of things about the Friday night developments during the executive council meeting said that Prof Umamaheswara Rao was present at the meeting. “There was no resolution copy about his replacement. The decision was taken after Prof Rao has gone out of the EC meeting. Prof Rao did not know about the change until the new Registrar appointment copy was handed over to him. A few EC members have opposed the sacking. The replacement was not done in an honourable way,” he saidProf Rao was first appointed as the registrar in October 2012 when Prof P George Victor was the in-charge vice chancellor of Andhra University. However, his first term was limited to four months. Later in February 2015, he assumed the registrar’ office again when Prof GSN Raju was the vice chancellor.While Prof Umamaheswara Rao refused to comment on the decision, he told TOI that he enjoyed his years in the university as the registrar. “We have sorted out the variations in the pay scales of the non-teaching staff. Cyclone Hudhud had caused a huge damage to the infrastructure and the greenery of the varsity in October 2014. After Hudhud, NAAC committee was scheduled to visit the varsity, which was a litmus test for the university credentials. Restoring the varsity to normalcy before the committee’s visit and getting NAAC A grade, in coordination with the then vice chancellor Prof GSN Raju, can be termed as my biggest achievement as registrar,” said Prof Rao.

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