Professor Amitabh Matoo is back. When he came the last time as the Vice
Chancellor of Jammu University, he had an unassailable reputation: an expert in
International relations a professor of Jawaharlal Nehru University a growing
national opinion on diverse matters. Today, the reputation is formidable. The
professor is the leading national opinions on issues from Kashmir to conflict
management. He is a member of the knowledge commission of the nation. He
continues to be at Jawaharlal Nehru University, now with a far reaching
professorship that sees him more often in London than in New Delhi. And he
remains an educationist at core, with a much wider acclaim and impeccable
credentials. It is a matter of pride for us that most of those credentials came
during his long stint as the Vice Chancellor of Jammu University, not so long
ago. But probably the greatest point of satisfaction is that he is a son of
soil, who has done his state proud with his accomplishments at the national
level. Professor Mattoo return to his native state as the head of the Central
University is a feather of sorts in the state cap itself.
It is true that there is
little state claim in the head-ship of a Central University which is
administered directly under the Union government. In fact, the consideration of
domicile and state subject are far less material in jobs that positions of
excellence that require expertise, acumen and vision. That is why the state
Universities, both general and technical, have had non-state people heading
them for most of the time. And, it must be admitted that the said institutions
did thrive better. Whether it was the Kashmir University or the Agri.
University there, head ship determined on the consideration of merit rather
than emotionalism have proved much better stewardships. But that perception
changed after Professor Mattoo’s stewardship of the Jammu University.
During the six years
that he headed it, the University progressed from practical backwaters into an
institution of national merit tending to an international reputation. The ISO
ranking he obtained for the University catapulted it into an institution of
international excellence. The University infrastructure grew; its lead in
affairs deportments from teaching and education on to realm of ideas and
strategy got extended recognised; its participations extended from sports to
arenas of political solutions. Jammu became an educational hub with mushrooming
of centres, institutions and colleges. The mood of faculty pettifogging as well
as the alumni shifted from politicking to achievement and excellence. That
change shows in the increasing number of awards, acknowledgement and
assignments bagged by the University staff and students at national and
international levels. In deed the University has been hard put maintaining that
high profile since.
Coming as the head of
the to-be-built Central University, Professor Mattoo has taken up a great
challenge. And that is also an excellent opportunity for him to build a University,
from the scratch as per the ideals of excellence he can envision. That way it
is a great opportunity for the whole state to get to the very top of
Educational excellence. There could be no better steward to lay deep
foundations a state of the art University. Over the past twenty years, the
resounding growth in all sectors of Jammu has proved that peace carries great
dividends; that prosperity comes from level-headed application and not
preferential treatments. For, at the end of the day it is merit and mettle not
muscle and emotionalism that bring mental, material and social development. In
Professor Mattoo, Jammu gets one more opportunity to profit from its commitment
to common sense. (Dr. R.L. Bhat).