IT Desk
Imphal, March 6
According to various documents and directives both from the University Grant Commission (UGC), team Imphal Times, who have been following the development in the Manipur University now feel apprehensive of whether the 209 regular posts (some already offered appointment order) during the tenure of the Administrator Jarnail Singh, who is also empowered to act as the Vice-Chancellor of the University will become null and void.
This question is being raised, as Imphal Times procured an official letter from the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of Education, written to Vice Chancellors of 39 Central Universities across the country stating that Acting Vice-Chancellors can perform the routine nature of work of the University, which includes appointment on temporary basis and convening the meeting of the Committee like Finance Committee, Executive Council and Academic Council. The letter signed by one Pramod Kumar Saha, Deputy Secretary to the Government of India and sent on October 9, 2014, also stated that decision like amending of Statutes, bringing new ordinances or amending the ordinances, appointment of permanent teaching and non-teaching staffs of new posts, etc should not be taken up by the acting Vice-Chancellor.
On October 11, 2018, The Manipur High Court made an arrangement to end the long impasse at Manipur University by appointing Jarnail Singh, an IAS officer,(Retd), who had year-long experience in the administration as “Administrator” to act as VC by putting VC AP Pandey on suspension.
In another ruling of the Manipur High Court, dated 19.11.2019 in PIL 48 of 2019, it has been stated that Jarnail Singh is in-charge of Vice-Chancellor and MHRD is the competent authority to decide allegations against him.
Now, on February 13, 2020, Imphal Times published a news item under the heading “UGC directs Registrar MU to take action over a complaint of anomalies in recruitment process 209 posts” in the letter by the UGC it is stated that base on the report of various anomalies in the process of recruitment for the 209 post-action taken report should be sent at the earliest possible time.
Interestingly, based on the findings of the 2 member inquiry committee, the President of India, who is also the visitor of the Manipur University, dismissed Prof. Adya Pandey from the post of VC on February 21, 2020.
Following this on March 4, the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India has directed the Registrar of the Manipur University to start the process for the appointment of Vice-Chancellor of the Manipur University which has fallen vacant after the dismissal of Prof. Adya Prasad Pandey with effect from February 21, 2020.
There is no confirmation on whether the Registrar had sent the report on alleged anomalies being found in the process of recruiting the post to the UGC, however, the letter from the MHRD written to all the VCs of 39 Central University still stands effective. Administrator Jarnail Singh who is the acting VC of Manipur University still has not spelled out a single clarification regarding this matter.
