Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Oct 15: Following objections raised by the Governor’s Secretariat, Jammu University has subjected absorption of three Assistant Professors in Department of Life-Long Learning (DLL) to scrutiny and put their further career advancements on hold till final outcome of the matter.
These faculty members include Dr Pallavi Sachdeva, Dr Bharti Prabhakar and Dr Sandeep Singh, whose services were regularized consequent upon the decisions taken by the University Syndicate in its meetings, held on January 25, 2016 and August 20, 2016 and they were absorbed on permanent basis in the JU, retrospectively with effect from February 18, 2009.
“In view of recent queries/objections raised by the various quarters with regard to your said regularization and absorption on permanent basis, you are hereby informed that your permanent absorption/regularization against the vacant posts in the DDL, being under scrutiny, all your further career advancements shall be subjected to the final outcome/resolution of the matter,” says a formal communiqué, sent by JU Registrar to the trio and also forwarded to the Governor’s Secretariat.
The abrupt decision to put permanent absorption of the trio under scrutiny was taken following a strong worded official letter from the Governor’s Secretariat to the Vice-Chancellor asking him to furnish clarifications on these regularizations and explain under what provision of the statues the same was allowed.
“Was the system of recruitment and selection in case of Dr Pallavi Sachdeva, Dr Bharti Prabhakar and Dr Sandeep Singh, prescribed under UGC Regulations, 2010 and University? If yes, provide supportive documents and records thereof,” asks the letter No GS-4(Rep-SS) JU/2017/4288, dated September 5, 2017.
The letter further makes it clear that the regularization of Dr Sandeep Singh by JU Syndicate was in utter violation of the Chancellor’s decision taken in the case of the applicant that `Unless built in the initial engagement advertisement, there should be no case of extending any contractual appointment beyond that envisaged in the initial advertisement”.
“In this matter, the initial advertisement was for two permanent posts in which Dr Pallavi Sachdeva and Dr Bharti Prabhakar were already regularized. The regularization of Dr Sandeep Singh simply means that decision of various bodies such as JU Syndicate are selective,” further says the official communiqué
In the four-page letter, the Governor’s Secretariat has also sought para-wise reply in context of Dr Sapna Sharma, who was placed initially on probation by the duly constituted Selection Committee in the pay scale of Rs 8000-13500 for a period of one year but the word probation was mischievously omitted by the university while issuing the appointment order.
“There is no justification in regularizing the services of Dr Sandeep Singh, selected illegally in 2008 on contract basis when 41 candidates had applied for the post out of which 31 candidates were found suitable for the interview, which was cancelled to illegally accommodate Dr Sandeep Singh. On the other hand, Dr Sapna Sharma, who was selected in a scale and on probation in 2006 was being continuously harassed by the JU not only officially but also at personal front for raising voice and seeking information under RTI,” the Governor’s Secretariat writes and also questions why the university was not bringing to fore the minutes of the Selection Committee in case of Dr Sapna Sharma.
According to the sources, Jammu University has been caught in an embarrassing position following these queries from the top office, which has also taken serious cognizance of the alleged violation of statutes and misuse of official position in JU during the tenure of incumbent Vice-Chancellor Prof R D Sharma and has sought a detailed inquiry into the series of complaints made by a senior faculty member, who retired recently.
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