No full-time head at IIM Bangalore for 15 months as 5 central universities wait for VCs

By TUF News Desk · Published 9 November 2026 · 4 min read

Fact-checked against 2+ independent sources · Editorial policy

IIM Bangalore has run without a regular director for more than 15 months. The Central University of Gujarat has waited over two years for a Vice-Chancellor. A report published on Monday puts at least five central universities and three IIMs on the list of institutions running under interim heads, with search panels and appointment files moving slowly between the campuses and the education ministry.

Two years on, Gujarat still waits

The education ministry advertised the Central University of Gujarat Vice-Chancellor’s post in June 2024. A search committee sent a panel of names in April 2025. The ministry rejected the names in July 2025 and asked the university to send more. Fresh names were added, and the final pick now awaits the approval of the Visitor, President Droupadi Murmu.

Prof Ram Shankar Dubey was appointed Vice-Chancellor in November 2019 for five years and got a year’s extension after the ministry failed to appoint a successor. His extended term ended in 2025, and Prof Atanu Bhattacharya has been the in-charge Vice-Chancellor for close to a year.

Bangalore: a rejected panel, then a fresh one

IIM Bangalore has had no regular director since July 2025, when Prof Rishikesha T. Krishnan’s tenure ended. Prof U. Dinesh Kumar took over as director-in-charge and has held the post since. A search panel chaired by Devi Prasad Shetty sent a list of names to the ministry in June 2025. The ministry rejected the whole panel. The committee started again this year and has sent another panel to the ministry in the last few days, according to the report.

“IIM Bangalore’s standing as an Institution of National Importance demands transparent leadership selection, effective oversight and clear accountability for long delays,” a faculty member told The Telegraph.

The Mooknayak reported in September that Prof Dinesh Kumar was among the candidates being considered for the post, and that an earlier panel recommended by the institute’s board had been rejected by the Centre in early 2026, after which the search process was restarted.

Andhra Pradesh and the wider list

The Central University of Andhra Pradesh followed a similar path. The ministry advertised the post in May 2025, before Prof S.A. Kori’s tenure was due to end that August. Kori got a year’s extension. Since August 2026, Prof C. Sheela Reddy has been the in-charge Vice-Chancellor.

The report names four more central universities without a regular Vice-Chancellor: the University of Hyderabad, North-Eastern Hill University, the Indira Gandhi National Tribal University at Amarkantak, and Dr Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya at Sagar. IIM Raipur and IIM Trichy also have no regular director.

A court deadline that keeps slipping

The Supreme Court ruled on 15 January this year that vacancies in the post of Vice-Chancellor must be filled within a month. The list in the report shows how far practice sits from that deadline. Gujarat’s post has been advertised since June 2024, and Bangalore’s director’s chair has been vacant since July 2025.

What the delay means on campus

An in-charge head can keep day-to-day work going, but big decisions tend to wait for a regular appointment. Faculty hiring, new programmes and long-term spending are the kind of calls that usually need a permanent head. Students at these institutions live with the knock-on effects: posts stay vacant longer, and plans announced in one academic year can still be waiting in the next.

Vice-Chancellor posts at central universities are advertised through the education ministry’s SAMARTH recruitment portal. Central universities are funded and run differently from state and private ones, and our guide to central, state and private universities explains how the three types differ.

Frequently asked questions

Which central universities are currently without a regular Vice-Chancellor?

The Central University of Gujarat, the University of Hyderabad, North-Eastern Hill University, Indira Gandhi National Tribal University at Amarkantak, and Dr Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya at Sagar. The Central University of Andhra Pradesh has had an in-charge Vice-Chancellor since August 2026.

How long has IIM Bangalore been without a regular director?

Since July 2025, when Prof Rishikesha T. Krishnan’s tenure ended. Prof U. Dinesh Kumar has been director-in-charge since then, and a fresh search panel has sent another list of names to the education ministry.

What did the Supreme Court say about Vice-Chancellor vacancies?

On 15 January 2026, the Supreme Court ruled that vacancies in the post of Vice-Chancellor must be filled within a month.

Why do these appointments take so long?

A search panel sends names to the education ministry, the ministry can reject the whole panel, and the final pick needs the approval of the Visitor, the President of India. At the Central University of Gujarat and IIM Bangalore, panels were rejected and the process had to start again.

Frequently asked questions

Sources: The Telegraph, The Mooknayak