SFI demands inquiry into recruitment of teachers by HPU
In a press note shared by SFI the student organisation stated that the Executive Council (EC) of Himachal Pradesh University holds the authority to appoint teachers. The EC had delegated these powers to the Vice-Chancellor, which is against the rules as per HPU Act 12 C 7. Petitions regarding these recruitments have been filed in the High Court. Petitioners claim the EC granted such powers to the Vice-Chancellor by passing a resolution in their meeting. The High Court declared this illegal, canceling the appointments of two associate professors and an EWS in the mathematics department.
The High Court noted that the established standards in the teacher recruitment process were ignored. RTI-obtained information revealed that the Vice-Chancellor favored certain individuals in the recruitment process, bypassing UGC standards. The Executive Council is supposed to decide on teacher recruitment. Former Vice-Chancellors Dr. Sikandar Kumar and SP Bansal are accused of misusing their powers.
To be eligible, the PhD must be completed in a regular mode, and evaluated by an external examiner.
The High Court canceled the appointments of two associate professors and an EWS.
Petitions allege that many appointees did not meet the required conditions. EWS and OBC certificates are also under scrutiny. The university administration is accused of illegally appointing unqualified individuals, disadvantaging eligible candidates. This malpractice has affected the lives of thousands of students, and the government should investigate this matter.
Approximately 250 teachers and 400 non-teaching staff were wrongfully appointed, all currently employed in various positions at HPU. Petitions claim appointments were made based on fake research papers. Therefore, SFI demands a commission be established by the Chief Justices of the High Court Shimla to investigate these recruitments.
Key Points on Teacher Recruitment Fraud:
Appointments Based on Fake Research Papers: According to UGC regulations, it is essential for candidates to have conducted research and published papers/articles in UGC-specified journals. Most appointees did not meet this criterion, with fake research works used for shortlisting.
Illegal NET Exemption Certificates: HPU recruitment requires candidates to pass the UGC’s National Eligibility Test (NET). Candidates without NET eligibility can be exempted if their PhD meets UGC’s 2009 regulations. However, some individuals were awarded PhD degrees bypassing these conditions and were given NET exemptions.
Experience Certificates: Candidates must have experience as specified in UGC Regulation 2018, section 10. Appointments were made with basic certificates lacking detailed information. Experience from certain private institutions without minimum qualifications was counted.
Department Transfers: Positions were illegally transferred between departments without Academic Council approval, to accommodate BJP/RSS cadres.
Fraudulent EWS and OBC Certificates: Questions arise about the validity of EWS and OBC certificates of some appointees. For instance, an individual serving as an associate professor for ten years is unlikely to qualify under the EWS category.
Executive Council Powers Misused: The acting Vice-Chancellor Bansal usurped EC’s powers, issuing appointment letters on the same day as interviews without EC’s approval.
Scandalous UIIT Recruitment: Candidates with PhDs were overlooked, and those with M.Tech degrees were appointed. Some appointments were made for individuals previously serving as technical experts in shops.
Academic Corruption: Top candidates were overlooked, and individuals disqualified by the screening committee were appointed.
Financial Irregularities: Teachers appointed in violation of rules received substantial arrears for services rendered in private colleges. Instances where experience from multiple institutions was wrongly accumulated for back pay, contrary to regulations.
Illegal Non-Academic Recruitment:
Professor Sikandar Kumar, in collusion with Dr. Mukesh Kumar and RSS member Jasrotia, appointed a large number of outsourced employees at the computer center, later designating them as computer operators, JOA (IT), peons, and programmers. Investigating the outsourced records will reveal the true picture.
Despite being aware, the then Vice-Chancellor did not act against politically connected illegal appointments. One such case involved appointing an unqualified woman at the women’s center due to her husband’s BJP affiliation.
Impact on University Finances:
Regular M.Tech. student Vinod Kumar, a relative of Prof. Sikandar Kumar, was appointed as a programmer while attending regular classes. Such practices have financially strained the university.
SFI State Committee Demands:
- A commission to thoroughly investigate the recruitment process.
- Action against Dr. Sikandar Kumar.
- Cancellation of BJP Rajya Sabha MP’s membership.
- Governor’s intervention in investigating the appointments.
- SFI to file a public interest litigation against the illegal recruitments at Himachal Pradesh University.
