Mailbag

Appointment of VC-I

Sir,

Apropos the news item in your esteemed daily dated 14th instant about the new V.C of Jammu University, it has come as a welcome change. In our state of J & K, Jammu University enjoys a good reputation as regards the standard, syllabi, conduct of examination and other extra curricular activities. It has generally been an accepted practice in the Indian University system right from the time university system emerged in our country that the best talent available anywhere in the country was offered the chair of Head of the Department and the V.C. Our great universities like Calcutta University, Bombay University, Jawahar Lal Nehru University and Banaras Hindu University (to name just a few), look for the best available talent in the country and offer them the post of the H.O.D or the V.C (exceptions notwithstanding) irrespective of the University or the region they belong to; the only consideration being the merit and the eminence of the incumbent. This practice has put these universities in the forefront with the result that they command a lot of recognition and credibility in the academic circles both nationally and internationally. At the same time our National Research Organisations and Universities should always look for the academic and the administrative eminence of the person concerned before appointing him to such an august position; other considerations being of very little importance; if we are to rank ourselves amongst the best, nationally or internationally. It is this practice that bestows prestige and global ranking to universities like Oxford, Cambridge, Illinois, Harvard, Stanley etc. -interaction with the best being the guiding factor for gaining eminence and global recognition. Eminent professors like Prof. Amritya Sen, Prof. Hargobind Khorana, Prof. Abdul Salam being just a few examples who not only brought laurels to the universities they worked but also to the countries of their birth.

I have served the Department of Higher Education of the State especially the Jammu region for thirty-four years and am a product of Jammu University. Academicians are particularly interested in the overall excellence in the standard of academics and research so that the potential of our young scholars is fully exploited and they contribute liberally to the academic growth of the country-Prof. Amitabh Mattoo being a very good example. His achievements at this young age speak volumes about his academic, administrative and research acumen. I am sure under his dynamic and able guidance; the students and the faculty of this university are bound to unfold their hidden potential so that Jammu University can stand tall in the national reckoning.

Yours, etc...
Dr.H.K.Khar
Rtd. Principal
Noida(U.P)
On-e-mail

Sir,

Immediately after taking over the reins of the State, PDP-Congress led Govt, headed by Mufti Mohd Sayed announced revamping the entire administrative machinery by making it accountable to law. Because of misrule in the State some measures are in offings and one such landmark step is the appointment of Professor Amitabh Mattoo as Vice Chancellor of the University of Jammu, considering his capability, experience and high integrity maintained throughout by him in various capacities, the latest being Professor of International Studies, Jawahar Lal Nehru University, New Delhi. His appointment as such will prove quite useful in stream lining the administration of the University.

Yours etc...
Meheshwar Kumar
Retd. (Xen)

Reformative measures

Sir,

It refers to welcome initiative of veteran Chinese leaders to step down from posts for paving way to new-generation leadership. Chinese in recent past have taken several reformative measures in interest of their country like family planning through legislative acts. India is the second largest populated country of the world after China. India can better solve its problems if it follows the disciplined China of recent times.

Indian leaders should think nation above themselves to take exemplary reformative steps on lines of China which has progressed rapidly in recent past. India should turn itself into a qualitative democracy instead of present quantitative. Tradition of dynastic family rule by Indian politicians needs to be checked by having an upper age limit to contest direct elections. Family planning should be enforced by law by withdrawing all Government facilities including jobs or promotion on having a third child. Not only persons with more than two children should be prevented from contesting elections, but their voting rights must also be snatched.

Yours etc...
Subhash Chandra Agarwal
1775 Kacha Lattushah
Dariba Delhi 110006 (India)

Woes of employees

Sir,

In July last year, I had discounted the dismisal, inapt State of affairs related to the cases of stepping up of pay of Government employees referred to by the different Administrative Departments to General Administration Deptt. for their agreement in pursuance of the provisions of Article 77-B of J&K CSR Vol-I and notes thereunder and those cases of anomalies that cropped up due to application of provisions of Article 77-B of J&K CSR. Vol-I or by application of Article 77-B of J&K CSR Vol-I or by application of SRO No. 14 of 1996 dated 16.1.1996 or subsequent orders issued on the subject that were lying pending in the aforesaid department because of indecisive approach of the concerned authorities of General Administrative Deptt. Thanks to the authorities of Finance department who realised the woes of the employees, and modified the relevant provisio (Government instructions No. 4 below Article 77-B of J&K CSR Vol-I) vide SRO 104 of 2002 dated 13.3.02 that reads as under:-

"In the Government instructions No. 4 below Article 77-B of Jammu and Kashmir Civil Service Regulations the word ''General Deptt." shall be replaced by the word "Finance Deptt.".

The woes of the Government employees particularly of those who were direct victims of anomaly arised due to promotion of their juniors under normal courses, rules or grant of in-situ promotion have not so far diminished, rather multiplied many fold by the dint of procedure now adopted by the Code section of the Finance Deptt. as envisaged in Director codes Circular No. A/104 (2002) -733 dated 25.8.02. The procedure as envisaged in the above communication is so cumbersome, tardy and lengthy that it can not be easily accomplished without the good gesture of the Administration, staff connected with the disposal of such cases by the respective offices, departments that is generally absent these days due to lack of moral values and prevailing rampant corruption at all levels.

An employees shall have thus run from pillar to post to get his case processed and finalized forcing him to grease the palms of all concerned irrespective of their rank and status.

Those who have already retired or are likely to retire shall be subject to many odds because of their limited resources of income and ability to move from one place to another etc. I do not find any reasons for adoption of such complicated and cumbersome procedures when the entire information can be easily tabulated by the officers of code section, administrative departments from the service books of junior, senior officers, seniority lists and allied documents already available with them.

This is nothing but an assault on the rights and privileges of genuine and deserving people and an open denial of justice to them. It is an old saying that "Justice delayed is justice denied".

Yours etc...
Sain Dass Sumbria
126, Pacci Dakki, Jammu.