Alleged irregularities in screening of candidates for teaching positions in CUJ

‘Expired’ panel to conduct interviews from today

Nishikant Khajuria

JAMMU, Oct 9: Besides violation of approved reservation Roster, alleged irregularities have also come into light in screening of the candidates for the various teaching positions in Central University of Jammu, for which interviews are being conducted from tomorrow.
To adjust the blue eyed and reject the competent ones, candidates once declared ineligible have been made eligible by whimsically over ruling all objections while some eligible ones have been shown as ineligible for the reasons best known to the screening committees.
Notwithstanding the direction of the University Grants Commission to Vice-Chanc-ellor/Screening Commi-ttee/Selection Committee to consider only those publications, which are published in UGC-CARE Reference List of Quality Journals, the CUJ is not adhering to the same and thus a number of ineligible candidates have been shortlisted for the interview.
The task of preliminary screening was given to the Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) and its observations were uploaded on the university website. The candidates were also given an opportunity to contest the claim, if any, or send any documents which substantiated their claim contrary to the observations. To evaluate the observations of IQAC and disposing off the grievances, if any, the documents of the candidates were then placed before a subject committee of experts, constituted by the Vice-Chancellor.
However, sources alleged that the approach adopted in screening was vague and subjective while the claims of the candidates were not settled fairly. Some candidates either sent the same documents, on which IQAC had given adverse comments or did not send any document but they were given clearance in contrary to IQAC observations.
Alleged fixing in screening process can be gauged from the fact that for getting two blue eyed candidates declared as eligible, who were not cleared by the IQAC as well the committee of Professors, the university went to the extent of changing members of the expert panel.
While elaborating, sources told the Excelsior that in the discipline of Education, the candidates repeated the same documents, which were appended earlier with application form. The observations of the candidates were placed before the expert committee of two Professors from Jammu University, which upheld the recommendation of IQAC screening committee and thus refused to give clearance to these candidates.
However, sources added, the Vice-Chancellor changed the expert committee with two retired Professors as the new members, who declared the same candidates eligible without submission of any additional document in their support.
Sources further pointed out that one of these two blue eyed candidates for the post of Associate Professor/Professor did not possess the minimum percentage of marks in MA at the time of appointment while in the case of other candidate, there was overlapping in qualification attained as regular student and experience claimed for the same years. The observations of IQAC in this regard were also posted on the university website.
Another ironic fact in their case was that only last year both these candidates were ineligible for the post of Professor as they lacked minimum eight years required experience but this year they have been shown eligible after completing 10 years of experience.
Similarly in other subject of Science, another candidates first declared as ineligible, has been now made eligible even as he holds no teaching experience in the discipline. Another candidate for the post of Professor in Mass Communication was earlier declared ineligible and them made eligible even as he has no MA or PhD degree in that subject.
An Assistant Professor working in the Centre of Molecular Biology, who was ineligible for the post of Associate Professor in Zoology, has been now declared eligible in the department by counting his non-teaching experience. Earlier also, he was shortlisted for the post of Assistant Professor in the Centre against the provisions of ordinance and was appointed three years back.
On the other hand, a senior Professor working in Jammu University since 1999 has been declared ineligible notwithstanding his experience of two decades in the same subject.
Sources further disclosed that the term of the panel of experts for conducting interviews, has already expired and the same is invalid now. It is illegal to use the expired panel for new selections without the authorization of Academic Council and the Executive Council.
Pertinent to mention that the new panel of experts has to be duly approved by the University Executive Council and the Academic Council. The panel of experts has to be prepared by HoD and submitted to the university through Dean of the School. The new panel warrants the inclusion of experts belonging to different specializations, requirements of the department and availability of new experts. The interview has to be conducted by three experts to be appointed by the VC out of approved panel by the competent bodies. The new panel is not approved but the interviews are being conducted by the `expired’ panel from tomorrow.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here