Prakash Kammaradi, noted agri-economist and former chairman of Karnataka Agricultural Prices Commission, and well-known environmentalist A.N. Yellappa Reddy, among others.“If left unchecked, these factors risk reducing a sacred academic selection to an exercise in opaque manipulation that compromises the process at its very inception — especifically at the stage of the Search-cum-Selection Committee,” the petition said.They suggested inclusion of a clause which would mandate that all proposed search committee members publicly disclose their qualifications and sign a legally binding declaration clearing them of any professional or personal association with applicants over the past five years.
“Shortlisted candidates should place a vision document before students, faculty, and farmers, outlining how they propose to strengthen the institution academically, administratively, and socially, while making it more vibrant, credible, and responsive to the needs of agriculture and farming communities,” they said. To ensure transparency, they demanded that after finalisation of the appointment, the committee’s proceedings, score sheets, and final recommendations must be preserved and made fully accessible under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.Pointing out that the search committees to choose vice-chancellors of agricultural universities in Shivamogga and Dharwad have been formed, they demanded that those committees be reconstituted in conformity with the safeguards and principles outlined by them.The others who signed the petition included C.L.
Lakshmipathi Gowda, former deputy director general, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), H.V. Nanjappa, former dean (postgraduate) and registrar of UAS-B; V. Veerabhadraiah, former director of extension of UAS-B and former president of UAS-B Alumni Association, M.A.
- Prakash Kammaradi, noted agri-economist and former chairman of Karnataka Agricultural Prices Commission, and well-known environmentalist A.N.
- Lakshmipathi Gowda, former deputy director general, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), H.V.
- Nanjappa, former dean (postgraduate) and registrar of UAS-B; V.
Shankar, former director of research of UAS-B, and K. Narayana Gowda, former director of extension of UAS-B.
