Visva Bharati University to get Modi as Chancellor

The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi has been appointed as the new Chancellor of Visva Bharati University for the next three years. He has replaced former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who stepped down recently.

"The President in his capacity as the visitor of Visa Bharati (Acharya) has been pleased to give Prime Minister Narendra Modi the responsibility of being the Chancellor of Viswa Bharati for a term of three years," said a University notification.

The executive council of the university had passed a resolution in July last year to make Modi as the chancellor and had already sent the resolution to the HRD Ministry. Visva-Bharati was declared a central university and an institution of national importance by an Act of Parliament in 1951. Modi's appointment comes at a time when the varsity's Vice Chancellor is facing probe of financial and administrative irregularities.

It is the only central varsity which has the prime minister as its chancellor. While President of India is the Paridarsaka (Visitor) of the university, the West Bengal Governor is the Pradhana and the Prime Minister the Acharya (Chancellor) of the university. The President of India appoints the Upacharya (Vice-Chancellor) of the University, as reported by the New Indian Express.