Professor Sanjoy Kumar Mallik, the newly appointed acting Vice-Chancellor of Visva-Bharati University (VBU) in Shantiniketan, West Bengal, announced today, November 9 that he intends to have a discussion with the Union Ministry of Higher Education to better understand his role and scope of authority before making any significant decisions.

Professor Mallik, previously the head of Kala Bhavan, the Visual Arts Department at VBU, informed the press that while his appointment letter from the union ministry did not outline specific duties, one of his foremost responsibilities would involve facilitating the selection of a permanent VC.

"For me, the news of being considered for the post is totally unexpected as I am a teacher. I am yet to know what will be my role from the administrative point of view," he told PTI on the first day after taking over.

Mallik will replace Prof Bidyut Chakraborty, who concluded his term on Wednesday, November 8, as the VC. Chakraborty’s five-year tenure at the central university was marred with controversies, notably the disputes over land with economist and Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen. 

Most recently when VBU was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the administration placed a plaque commemorating the recognition without prior permission from the Shantiniketan Trust, which administers VBU. To add to the ire of the trust, the plaque did not feature the names of poet Rabindranath Tagore, nor his father Debendranath Tagore who founded the Shantiniketan Trust. 

In addition, Chakraborty was also accused of withholding salaries and pensions and suppressing sexual harassment cases on campus.