Prof Hari Gautam new Chancellor of KIIT University

Bhubaneswar,Feb 09 (UNI) Former University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman Prof Hari Gautam today joined as the new Chancellor of Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) university here.

Prof Gautam succeeded KIIT secretary and founder Achyuta Samant, who relinquished the post on being nominated as the member of the UGC.

Talking to newspersons here after assuming the post, Prof Gautam said his focus would be now to bring in academic discipline, integrity, accountability and transparent examination system in the Deemed University.

The former vice-chancellor of Banaras Hindu University and King George's Medical University said he would bring in new courses to the university which were the needs of the day and tomorrow.

He said all sincere efforts would be made to make the KIIT a centre of excellence both at the national and international level with emphasis on research and development activities.

Prof Gautam said the research activities in the University would be strengthened and reputed scholars would be motivated and provided with incentives and other facilities to undertake quality research.

To a question, the KIIT chancellor said the country was presently facing acute shortage of faculty member as for many the teaching profession was no more an alluring.

''We will make sincere efforts and if necessary travel to abroad to find out the best academicians who would be given free hand to join the University,'' Prof Gautam avered.

Dr Samant has informed that former Director of IIT Kharagpur Prof S K Dubey has also given his consent to join as the Pro Chancellor of the university.

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