Prof Jaspal Singh Sandhu
Secretary
University Grants Commission (UGC),
Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg,
New Delhi-110002. Email: jssandhu.ugc@nic.in, renu.ugc@nic.in
Sub: Financial Fraud: Misappropriation of public funds to benefit favourites
Panjab University defies UGC Regulations, 2013 (2nd Amendment) again:
Bypasses Categories I & II of API Score) in direct recruitment of
Professors & Associate Professors
Sir,
You are aware that the Panjab University had earlier brushed UGC
Regulations, 2013 (2nd Amendment) on “CAPPING” under the carpet to
give undue promotions under CAS to the ineligible favourites,
misappropriating public exchequer without any checks and controls.
Although the Governing Bodies (Senate & Syndicate) had approved these
financial irregularities, but thanks to the cognizance taken by the
Audit Department of Chandigarh Administration and subsequent denial of
UGC to allow any dilution in its norms that the illegal action of
Panjab University stood unapproved and the University has been
directed to implement “Capping” and review all promotions with
recovery of money that has been illegally released to the ineligible
promotees.
However, since the Vice-Chancellor Prof Arun Kumar Grover and all
other offenders whosoever were involved in such financial
irregularities have managed to go scot free without facing action for
their acts of commission and omission, this has encouraged the higher
authorities of the University to acquire immunity from facing action
and commit further such financial irregularities again, as narrated
hereinafter:
UGC Regulations, 2013 (2nd Amendment) effective from 13th June, 2013
further mandate that while undertaking appointments through direct
recruitment or promotion to the post of Professors and Associate
Professors, the requisite API score must be calculated in three
categories: Category- I, II and III. Amendment Regulation 3 reads:
… While adopting this, universities shall not change any of the
categories or scores of the API given in Appendix-III. The
universities can, if they wish to, increase the minimum required score
or devise appropriate additional criteria for screening of candidates
at any level of recruitment.
Panjab University had invited applications for direct selection to
vacancies in different subjects of Professors (41) and Associate
Professors (55) vide Advertisement No. 4/2014 as per UGC norms
(Annexure-I). After finding that many of the favourites were not
eligible as per UGC Regulations, the Registrar of the University vide
Corrigendum dated 7th October, 2014 (Annexure-II) extended the last
date of receiving applications from 14 October to 31 October, 2014,
dispensing with API score under Categories I and II. Whether the
Registrar made mockery of the UGC Regulations at his own or such
wrongdoings were approved by the Senate/Syndicate of the University is
not disclosed in the Corrigendum. Even otherwise, one may like to ask
as to whether the Senate/Syndicate of a University is superior to
University Grants Commission of India. Whether the decisions of
Senate/Syndicate of a University have an overriding effect on UGR
Regulations published in the Gazette of India. Does a Wrong, when
supported by majority in University Syndicate or Senate, become Right?
Anyway, candidates eligible as per UGC norms got turned into
ineligible ones because of disregarding their API score obtained in
categories I and II, and those who were ineligible as per UGC
Regulations were accommodated by considering them eligible by counting
their total API score on the basis of category-III alone. Ignorance of
law is no excuse, but instant case is certainly not an act of
ignorance but well-thought of conspiracy intended to promote
corruption and nepotism in a public institution.
It is learnt that at least 4 candidates selected in violation of UGC
Regulations have already been made to join the University, and
selection of many others was approved in the PU Syndicate meeting held
yesterday. Although Senate is the employer of teachers in Panjab
University and the selectees could not be allowed to join but without
its approval, but whenever the candidates are selected by committing
gross illegalities and irregularities, the Vice-Chancellor issues them
appointment letters hurriedly, immediately after approval of Syndicate
and in anticipation of the approval of the Senate so that the
favourites could enter into the University Service, lest someone
exposes the truth and brings the appointments under scanner, with the
sole motive to create unwarranted litigation at public cost and
exhaust time so that the appointees could devise ways and means to
retain their continuance in the University Service.
Being the principal executive and academic officer of the University,
the Vice-Chancellor as per Panjab University Act, 1947 is required to
ensure implementation of rules, regulations and statutes in the
University. Contrarily however, the present VC Prof Arun Kumar Grover
has continuously and consistently thrown all rules, regulations and
canons of law of the land to winds, leading to financial implications
and depriving the eligible/meritorious strata of the country of their
legitimate right to employment to public positions in this University
for numerical increase in his army of unqualified chosen ones.
UGC Chairman, Prof. Ved Prakash, during his recent visit to Panjab
University had said in express terms that Panjab University won’t be
allowed to amend UGC norms at its own and the UGC guidelines should be
implemented in the University on time. For disregarding ‘Capping’ in
promotions under CAS, this University struggled hard to get its
violations/dilutions approved from UGC/MHRD/ Chandigarh
Administration, but failed and had to eat a humble pie. Despite that,
violations of UGC Regulations and misappropriation of finances has
been undertaken by this University once again?
UGC has been promising in its circulars/guidelines issued from time to
time to withhold grants of Universities which violate its norms, but
nothing of this sort has ever been seen, though corruption and
violations are galore in Panjab University since last over one decade.
Even recently when this University is claiming itself to be
fund-starved due to stoppage of grants by UGC, media is flooded with
news on embezzlement of public money worth crores of rupees from its
coffers. And most astonishingly, one can well imagine the gravity of
pilferage by those sitting at the top of affairs of a University where
even the daily wagers enjoy the authority to pilfer money to the tune
of crores of rupees. Lack of stringent measures and stern action
against the guilty has resulted in furtherance of corruption and
nepotism in this University.
In the light of above, an expeditious intervention is requested, with
the following prayer:
i) To probe the matter or to hand it over to an investigating agency
outside the influence of Panjab University,
ii) To dig out people who wrongfully obtained monetary gains from
public money lying in coffers of the University by these illegal
appointments, and to make recovery of the same,
iii) To identify the officers/officials who have abused their position
by their acts of commission and omission - have flouted UGC
Regulations and misappropriated finances by these illegal appointments
- acting opposite to what they were expected of, as they get salary
and perks from public money for lawful discharge of duties.
iv) To direct the Public Information Officers (Deputy Registrars) and
Appellate Authority (Registrar) of the University to make all
information/documents related to maladministration in recruitments
(especially in the instant case) open to the citizens (including the
complainant) applying under RTI Act, declaring it to be information of
public interest warranting disclosure (so that Registrar/PIOs could
not hide the same in the guise of personal information of illegal
appointees, as this University usually does under RTI Act).
Dr Rajinder K Singla
M.Sc.,Ph.D.,LL.B.
RTI Activist
# 102, Sector 23-A, Chandigarh.
Email: rajinderksingla1@gmail.com
Encl. 1. Advertisement No. 4/2014
2. Corrigendum to Advertisement dated 07-10-2014
Copy (By Registered Post & Email) to:
1. Dr. M. Hamid Ansari, Chancellor, Panjab University (Hon’ble
Vice-President of India), 6, Maulana Azad Road, New Delhi-110011.
Email: vpindia@nic.in
2. Director, National Assessment & Accreditation Council (NAAC), P.O.
Box 1075, Nagarbhavi, Bangalore-560075. Emails:
director.naac@gmail.com, naac@bir.bsnl.net.in
3. The Secretary, Department of Higher Education, MHRD, Shastri
Bhawan, New Delhi-110001. Ph. 011-23386451, 23382698, Email:
secy.dhe@nic.in, dhe-mhrd@nic.in, hrm@gov.in, pstohrm@gov.in
4. The Director, Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI), Plot No. 5-B,
6th Floor, CGO Complex, Lodhi Rod, New Delhi-110003. Emails:
hozchg@cbi.gov.in, hozac@cbi.gov.in
5. Shri Narendra Modi, Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, South Block,
Raisina Hill, New Delhi-110011.
6. Shri Vijay Kumar Dev, IAS, Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO), UT
Chandigarh. UT Secretariat, Deluxe Building, Sector-9, Chandigarh.
Email: adviser-chd@nic.in
7. Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), Satarkata Bhavan, A-Block, GPO
Complex, INA, New Delhi-110023. Ph. 011-24600200, Email:
cenvigil@nic.in
8. Shri Sarvjit Singh, IAS, Education Secretary, 4th Floor, UT
Secretariat, Chandigarh. Email: fs-chd@nic.in
9. Director, Local Audit, Chandigarh, UT Secretariat, Deluxe Building,
Sector-9,Chandigarh. Ph. 0172-2740045, Email: ssf-chd@nic.in
10. Shri Satish Bindal, Resident Audit Officer, Panjab University, Chandigarh.
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