‘Education Minister and Hr. & Tech. Edn has no role in applying 12(B) recognition by UGC’
IT News
Imphal, Jan 13:
A day after students’ bodies has started intensifying its demand for resignation of Education Minister Th. Bashantakumar and the Commissioner of the Dept. of Higher &Technical Education, the department today threw the ball to the court of the Dhanamanjuri University authority saying that the Dhanamanjuri University Authority is responsible for sending application for getting 12B recognition of the UGC Act, 1956.
A statement by the Dy. Secretary of Hr. & Tech. Edn. said that the Minister of Education and the Department of Higher &Technical Education has no role in applying 12B of the University or any of the Colleges. There appears to be no impediment in applying 12B after bifurcation of teaching faculties. So, it is incumbent on the Dhanamajuri University Authority to apply for 12B at the earliest.
It further said that under section 30(i),(ii) of the Statute of the Dhanamanjuri University Act, 2017, the State Cabinet in its decision taken on 24.11.2021 had approved bifurcation of the 600 post (387 teaching + 213 non-teaching post) existing in the 5 (five) Constituent Colleges of DMU along with employees whosoever desires to be transferred to the newly established Dhanamanjuri University. Further, as approved in the State Cabinet decision taken on 21.11.2022, 362 posts of teachers (Assistant Professors and Associate Professors) have been bifurcated to Dhanamanjuri University vide Order dated 24.11.2022. The process of bifurcation of non-teaching posts including Principals is under process.
Further, under Section 30(i),(ii) of the Statute of the Dhanamanjuri University Act, 2017, the Department of Higher & Technical Education has notified the operational guidelines for employees related issues after bifurcation from Directorate of University & Higher Education, Manipur to Dhanamanjuri University.
The statement further added that the Department of Higher &Technical Education has also issued Order dated 12.01.2023 after incorporating correction of spellings of names of the teachers, deletion/omission of repeated names of teachers including deletion/omission of names as requested by the teachers themselves. The revised operational guidelines for employees related issues after bifurcation from Directorate of University & Higher Education, Manipur to Dhanamanjuri University has also been notified on 12.01.2023;
It may be mention that Dhanamanjuri University was established in 2017 with the enactment of Dept. of Higher &Technical Education Act, 2017 by the Manipur Legislative Assembly with 5(five) constituent Colleges viz., D.M College of Science, D.M College of Arts, D.M College of Commerce , G.P Womens’ College and L.M.S Law College.
In connection with the demand for lack of infrastructure the statement said that the State Government has taken proactive role in development of the Dhanamanjuri University. The Department of Higher &Technical Education has taken up various measures to develop and make the University fully functional including appointment of regular Vice Chancellor, creation of teaching & non-teaching posts of the University, bifurcation of teaching and non-teaching posts in 5(five) constituent Colleges of Dhanamanjuri University from the Directorate of University &Higher Education, Manipur to DMU and providing Grant-in-Aid to the University. However, the Department is not involved in day to day administrative functioning of the University. Regarding the recruitment of 88 (eighty eight) posts of Assistant Professors and 170 (one hundred seventy) different categories of non-teaching posts of Dhanamanjuri University is under process and is expected to be declared soon, the statement added.
The statement further added that under Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), various infrastructure developments have been taken up and inaugurated by Union Minister of Home Affairs, Government of India on 06.01.2023 including administrative block, academic buildings of various School of Studies, Library cum Conference Hall at a total cost of Rs.55.00 crores.
“The Dhanamanjuri University is autonomous in its day-to-day administrative functioning, as stated in the Dhanamanjuri University Act, 2017. Raising any grievances against the Government in public platform should only be on issues when the Government has failed to act. Up till now, the Department of Higher & Technical Education has fulfilled all its responsibilities in the last 6(six) months since the formation of the new Government.”, the statement said.
