CAG points to several administrative irregularities
The Berhampur university which often remained in public debate for its corrupt practices, has yet again witnessed campus unrest as students staged a dharna in front of its administrative building at Bhanja Vihar on Tuesday.
The students resorted to the agitation in support of their 16-point charter of demands just a few hours before the scheduled visit of Higher Education Minister Dr Pradip Panigrahi to the campus. Their demands included provision of emergency ambulance service in the campus; early completion of repair and renovation of all hostels; and payment of special grant or compensation to the university to meet the loss due to the cyclone Phailin.
The university administration discussed with the students for an amicable solution of their problems, but in vain. Since the demands remained unheeded by the university authorities, the students wanted to take an opportunity to directly discuss the issues with the Higher Education Minister. When the Minister met the students and assured them to solve their problems, they called off the agitation.
According to reports, a boarder of one of the PG Hostels suddenly fell ill on late night of Monday. Fellow boarders called the university ambulance to take him to the medical college hospital, but the ambulance at that crucial juncture was found defunct. The concerned Hostel Superintendent advised the students to call 108-Ambulance service for which the students expressed their displeasure.
When this message spread, the students resorted to agitation. The Vice-Chancellor, the Registrar and the PG Council Chairman persuaded the students not to agitate, but in vain.
Since the university campus comes under the home constituency of the Gopalpur MlA-cum-Minister Dr Panigrahi, the students did not want to lose the opportunity to discuss the matter with him.
During the discussion with the Minister, the students also demanded construction of a new gate at the entry point of the university; repair of the approaching road; imposition of a ban on the movement of heavy vehicles in the campus roads; strengthening of all hostels with basic infrastructure; starting of a UGC-NET coaching centre in the campus; and WiFi networks in the campus for uninterrupted internet service.
After the Minister assured the students to look into the problems and called the concerned officers to take necessary steps to resolve the issues, the students called off the dharna. During discussion, Vice-Chancellor Prof DK Behera and PG Council Chairman Prof Prasant Kumar Padhi were present. Meanwhile, a CAG investigation team during May 19 and June 7 has reportedly made several more shocking revelations pertaining to the gross irregularities of the university. The CAG report has reportedly unearthed how the university has ignored the need of imparting qualitative education for which the university of 47 years is unable get itself accredited under the NAAC, an autonomous body controlling and monitoring quality education in the institutions of higher learning in the country.
The university has remained as a regular defaulter of violating the guidelines and principles of both UGC and NAAC reportedly to satisfy its vested interests. Even the various recommendations made by the NAAC remain unimplemented by the university, sources said.
Among the irregularities which have come to the fore include non-implementation of 180 days of classes and prescribed academic calendar covering the entire academic programmes of the year; conduct of minimum practical classes in the respective laboratories; library hours; conduct of seminars, workshops and field study for the prescribed number of days and preparation of projects.
According to information, the university has failed to implement the prescribed academic calendar during the academic sessions 2011-2013. Sources reveal that the prescribed numbers of theory and practical classes have neither been conducted nor has a report about the implementation of the prescribed calendar been submitted to the UGC.
The CAG reportedly sought an explanation from the university authorities regarding violation of the UGC guidelines, to which the university administration reportedly clarified that the university had prepared its academic calendar based on the communication (letter no. 31464/HE) received on
August 29, 2011 from the State’s Department of Higher Education.
But this report reportedly did not satisfy the investigation team as the university implemented the above Government letter only for its academic session 2011-12 but not for the session 2012-13; so also the university did not furnish any report to the UGC in the matter during the above academic session, sources said.