I successively served two State Universities in undivided Madhya Pradesh. I began my journey in the University of Jabalpur (renamed RD University) right from its very inception working with the top functionary -Rector- where I gained my grassroots administrative experience digesting what it takes to build a university from the scratch.

Broadly, that really meant A to Z to build a new University which was both Teaching and Affiliating. Importantly, that involved from site selection and infrastructure planning for the University Campus to setting up of the administrative structure and fix nuts and bolts such as recruitments of staff and officers to create the service system and constitution of various Authorities and Bodies to form the basis for full-fledged functioning of the system in terms of the University Act, Statutes and Ordinances. For this, seniority formed the basis and collecting data, scrutinizing them and publish the same for objections by aggrieved parties. After judicially examining each objection by an independent committee, published the final list. That made the basis requiring however annual updating was necessary. That was a great learning experience to do things judicially and democratically.

The most crucial job to build the academic structure was to build a good Professoriate who are at the heart of the institution. For this, the University not only followed the normal mode of advertisement, but importantly consulted the top experts of the country to suggest names for being invited to accept Professorships of the University. For example, for Philosophy, Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan was consulted and he had suggested names. That speaks of the objective to find the best anywhere in the country.

Another basic need was planning and organizing funds which have at all times been not smooth, albeit much better and easier than now.

Obtaining UGC’s formal approval for the University also required a good deal of efforts including a visit by the then Chairman Dr. C.D. Deshmukh. 

Later, my services were required to work with the Vice-Chancellor to reorganize the India’s first University of Music and Fine Arts in MP (now in Chhattisgarh) which was successfully done securing UGC recognition and funding for projects, and taking it into a well-shaped, organized and developed University.

In the private sector, I served as the Founding Vice-Chancellor of   Dr. DY Patil Deemed to be University at Navi Mumbai for which I was invited to accept the position for the university was required to be organized on a sound footing in terms of UGC’s conditions. The university was devoted predominantly to Medical and Dentistry studies and research. However, later Biotechnology and Management and a few other disciplines were added to meet growing demands in these disciplines.

I organized the administrative and Academic structure of the university creating various governing system, namely, the Board of Governors and academic bodies like Academic Council and Departments of Studies for curriculum updating and effective teaching and research. A good culture and tradition is a must for the good future of any university.

Most importantly, for the new University, I developed the All-India Competitive Examination System for admission of students on all-India basis. This I did along the lines of the JEE(Advanced) system. The structure and processes I developed passed the test of legal scrutiny of the Supreme Court, where someone challenged the system of examination conducted by the university.