PATNA, July 12 -- In the face of growing criticism on posting of principals in Bihar's colleges through lottery system, Governor and Chancellor of Universities, Arif Mohammad Khan, defended the decision, equating it with posting of IAS/IPS officers. "When a doctor or an engineer can become IAS and IPS, why can't a home science teacher become principal of a science college. The principal's post is administrative. Those who have interest in academics should go to the university and teach," he added. Talking to media persons, he said the post of principal was administrative, not academic. "With so many recommendations coming for the posting of principals for some colleges, while there were no takers for others. What option did I have?" he asked. The Chancellor said in view of the prevailing situation, he had to take recourse to the rules adopted by UPSC, which adopts a random system for posting, except the cases involving serious disease to parents or posting of husband and wife," he added. Khan said he was in favour of hoisting his choice. "I have left my own power in appointments. I did it in the appointment of registrars and finance officers in universities as I don't want to use my discretion to thrust my choice. Personal choice should not be the basis of appointments. I consulted the chairman of the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC), who advised me to adopt the system of the Central government," he added. The issue of posting of principals through a draw of lots had been earlier challenged in Patna HC, which put the Raj Bhawan's order in abeyance, and the process had stopped, with the Governor defending the lottery system as logical and unbiased. However, sensing the Raj Bhagwan's mood, the petition was later withdrawn in June, after which the Chancellor's office wrote to all VCs to complete the process for posting of principals at the earliest and report to the Chancellor's secretariat. So far, PU has completed the exercise. Though the Raj Bhawan mooted the lottery system for the posting of principals in the colleges within university, it was the Bihar State University Service Commission (BSUSC), which had on March 24 made university-wise recommendation of 116 principals for the state's constituent colleges. This included names for five Patna University colleges, except BN College which has the longest serving principal, while others have a five-year tenure. Due to high stakes involved for posting of principals and all kinds of pulls and pressures in play, there have been several controversies in the past and the Raj Bhawan also had to intervene, the latest being the show-cause served to the then Pataliputra University VC last year over posting of juniors as principals. However, former principal of Patna College and social analyst Prof NK Choudhary said in Bihar, as per statute, principals were in teaching cadre and it was on the basis of being a teacher that they availed of the higher retirement age of teachers. "Any one on administrative post cannot apply for principal. Only an associate professor or a professor can. In an academic institution, a principal cannot be expected to behave like a police officer. Here everything boils down to academics. I empathise with him that he is himself not happy with the system, as the rot has set in too deep and he is trying his best," he added. Raj Bhawan on Friday appointed registrars of Purnea University and Veer Kunwar Singh University. Their tenure will be co-terminus with the recommending VCs with a maximum of three years, as per the new statutes. While Dr Ram Krishna Thakur of BRA Bihar University has been made registrar of VKSU, Dr Pranay Gupta of Pataliputra University has been appointed as Purnea University registrar....