KMC orders recovery of Rs 34.5l from six teachers for study leave chicanery
Taking cognisance of the financial irregularities in Kirori Mal College, the governing body (GB) on Sunday ordered recovery of Rs 34.5 lakh from the six teachers who had gone on paid study leave but did not submit their thesis or a working report stating reasons why.
The decision to release the said amount from the defaulting teachers was taken at a meeting that lasted over six hours. The Pioneer on Saturday had reported that despite the Delhi University’s letter asking the governing body to take action on the matter in 2012, nothing had been done and the teachers, who owed lakhs of money, were still serving. However, in the meeting on Sunday, exactly two years since the university’s letter, the matter was brought forward, and with no opposition, the order for full recovery from teachers by deducting their salaries was passed.
The matter regarding the study leave pertained to six teachers from KMC who took study leaves at different times from 1993 to 2010 but failed to complete their studies. However, through the duration they were paid salaries in full.
As per university rules, if a person fails to submit his/her thesis after a paid study leave of three years, he/she can take an extension of a maximum of two years, which are unpaid years. Officials in the university added, “If they don’t want an extension, they have to submit a report of their working schedule and mention reasons as to why they couldn’t complete the research. Subsequently, their supervisors in the research should also tell the college why the researcher couldn’t finish the study. If they don’t do any of this, they have to return the money withdrawn by them as salaries in the duration of three years. Three years is the maximum duration that a teacher can take a paid study leave.”
However, none of these six teachers did any of the above and had just been sitting on the money given to them during the leave. The university intervened in the matter in 2012 and asked the GB to take care of the matter. After exactly two years, the GB took a decision on the matter and asked for a full recovery. Sources in the college said, “The money will be recovered from the six teachers by deducting their salaries. This has now been approved by the GB with no opposition.”
A total of 12 teachers from Kirori Mal College had gone on study leave. However, four teachers submitted their theses; two were exempted by the GB as they retired and left their research and six never submitted their thesis or took exemption. Thus, they are now liable to pay back the money.
The oldest case in this debacle is of an associate professor of Statistics who took study leave from September 19, 1993 to October 15, 1996 and was in University of Delhi itself in the duration of the leave. However, the case involving the maximum money is of an associate professor of Economics who took study leave from October 17, 2006 to December 21, 2010 and was in Monash University in Australia during that time. He owes the college over Rs 12.75 lakh. The amount owed by each teacher varies from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 12.75 lakh.
Meanwhile, the governing body on Sunday also looked into the case of suspended principal Bhim Sen Singh and issued a showcause notice to him as to why he has not vacated the Government flat of Delhi University till now. While Singh was suspended after he called for a Press conference without permission, he has a series of allegations on him regarding financial irregularity in the OBC expansion plan.