RMLNLU Lucknow appointed a new vice chancellor (VC) yesterday in University of Delhi (DU) law faculty head and dean Prof Gurdip Singh, who was appointed to the post five months after it was vacated by former VC Balraj Chauhan.

Singh was department head and dean at DU since 2010, and a professor there since 1995. He first joined DU as a lecturer in 1977, and was promoted to be a reader in 1985. Singh taught international law and environmental law at the university.

He obtained the BSC, LLB, LLM, and PhD degrees from DU in 1971, 1975, 1977, and 1984, respectively.

Singh was not reachable for comment at the time of going to press because he was on his way to Lucknow on a flight. He will join as the new VC this afternoon.

It is understood that the committee for recommending the new VC for RMLNLU to the university’s chancellor and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, was comprised of Allahabad high court justice Rajesh Kumar Agrawal, the state education secretary and the state law secretary.

This committee was formed in December and had forwarded its recommendations for the new VC to Yadav by the end of December, according to acting VC Anita Mishra. On 1 January, the tenure of former VC Balraj Chauhan had ended at the law school.

RMLNLU is the only national law school with the chief minister as its chancellor instead of the chief justice of the state high court. In contrast with the composition of general councils of other national law schools, Lucknow’s general council does not have a single academician among its members.

The general council of national law schools is the body responsible for formulating and reviewing the broad policies and programmes of these universities, including their day-to-day administration.