The Ministry of Education is going to prepare a list of senior professors of public universities so that they can select names from the list to recommend them to the president for appointment as vice-chancellors and pro-vice-chancellors.

The president, also chancellor of all universities in the country, appoints the VCs and Pro-VCs to the universities. 

Education ministry took the decision after a virtual meeting chaired by Education Minister Dipu Moni this evening.

"We asked to prepare a list of senior professors of public universities so that we can recommend names to the president to pick and appoint them as VCs and Pro-VCs of public universities," Mohibul Hassan Chowdhury, deputy minister to the education ministry, told The Daily Star after the meeting.

Mohibul also said the list will be used as an option besides regular process.

The ministry urged all public universities to send the names of their senior professors by August 31.

Usually, the senate of four universities -- Dhaka, Rajshahi, Jahangirnagar and Chittagong -- that follows 1973 university ordinance, nominate three persons for the posts and forward the names to education ministry.

The ministry then forwards the names to the president's office through PMO, and president finally appoints VCs and Pro-VCs for the universities.

For others public universities, the ministry sends names to the president's office through PMO, and president appoints VCs for the universities.

"All these processes will be honoured while appointing VCs and Pro-VCs," Mohibul said.

Currently, position of VC at three public universities and of Pro-VC at 25 universities are vacant.

The ministry also asked for proposal of names from private universities to appoint their VCs and Pro-VCs within September 10. Position of VC at 19 private universities and of Pro-VC at 83 private universities are vacant now.

Education Minister Dipu Moni at the meeting warned that if the authorities of the private universities fail to submit their proposed names by September 10 then they will face music, according to a statement issued by the ministry.