With CEPT University's Dean of Faculty of Planning Darshini Mahadevia's tenure coming to an end, the stage is set for a change of guard. However, according to sources, the appointment of the new dean is not going to be simple as the university is hoping to appoint someone from outside CEPT to the post. "The university is planning to have someone academically accomplished candidate who is ready to take all the responsibility of that comes along with the post. They want someone from outside CEPT who will take the job without any preconceived notions," a source revealed.

The university has constitutes a search and selection committee to find the next dean for the faculty of planning. The search committee comprises Director of CCBA and Cofounder of School of Planning Christopher Benninger, Lead Urban Specialist at the World Bank Barjor Mehta, Dean, Faculty of Management Manvita Barad (sic!), Academic director Dr A Srivathsan and CEPT President and Chair of Committee Dr Bimal Patel. A source, who preferred to remain anonymous said that Saswat Bandyopadhyay, Sejal Patel are top contenders for the post from the university. "But due to their academic excellence and experience, names like Rutul Joshi and Talat Munshi have also popped up in the list of contenders.

But Bandhyopadhyay seems to be the front-runner due to his academic expertise and designation," sources said. The university has 25 faculty members in the planning department of which only six of them are professors. Rest of the team comprises seven assistant professors while remaining are associate and adjunct faculty members. "Even out of the six professors, five may not be considered for a host of reasons including retirement, sabbatical leave, end of tenure and their academic profile not being strong enough for the post," CEPT sources said.

Meanwhile, answering speculations of an outsider being considered for the post, a senior faculty member at Faculty of planning said, "We would prefer someone from outside the CEPT campus. A foreign dean who is ready to take up all the responsibility and is easily approachable to all the students and faculty members of planning would be preferable. If the dean is from outside the university, he will have a fresh outlook and will not operate under any preconceived notions." University has asked for the interested in-house and external applicants to submit their applications by April 22.