Thursday, Jun 03, 2010

• Probe finds irregularities in promotion of 15 Associate Professors as Professors
• VC, Registrar held responsible for permitting ineligible candidates to be called for interview

Gulbarga: Regional Commissioner Rajneesh Goel, who inquired into the alleged irregularities in appointments and promotions in the Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University in Bidar, has come to the conclusion that the university has violated various rules and procedures prescribed by University Grants Commission (UGC), Indian Council for Agriculture Research (ICAR) and State Government.

The nine-page report with summaries of the findings, which was submitted to Governor H.R. Bhardwaj on April 16, a copy of which was obtained by The Hindu under provisions of the Right To Information(RTI) Act, said: “These acts of omission and commission on part of the university have serious repercussions on the sanctity of this higher seat of learning and cause long-term damage to academic and financial health of the university.” The inquiry found irregularities in promoting 15 Associate Professors as Professors without their fulfilling the eligibility criteria of having five publications during their assessment period. The then Vice-Chancellor and Registrar of the university have been held responsible for permitting ineligible candidates to be called for interview and the university has to cancel promotion orders of these 15 teachers, the report said.

The report said that while filling the backlog vacancies of teachers in September 2007, the university appointed five candidates who were not qualified as per the UGC and ICAR guidelines. Although the scrutiny committee in its report in March 2008 and September 2008 held that these five candidates were ineligible and although present Vice-Chancellor Suresh Honnappagol brought this issue before the Board of Management (BOM), however, he did not oppose their selection in the BOM when the issue was put to voice voting in February 2009.

The report recommended that the university cancel the appointment of the candidates and recommended initiation of proceedings against the Vice-Chancellor for “criminal breach of trust” and five other BOM members who had approved these illegal appointments.