Acting on the direction of Under Secretary, UGC, the Additional Secretary, Higher Education, Surendra Kumar Panda has on July 25 directed the Regional Director of Education, Bhubaneswar, to submit a report with suggestion within 15 days for taking necessary action over malfunctioning of office of the Principal-cum-Secretary, Kendrapada Autonomous College.
The direction was passed following an alumni and a former office bearer of ABVP, Abhimanyu Gochhayat of Kapaleswar filed a complaint with the Chairman, UGC, New Delhi, alleging financial bungling and administrative irregularities by the Principal-in-charge of Kendrapada Autonomous College, in May.
He alleged that that the autonomous status was extended to Kendrapada Autonomous College for a period of six years with effect from the academic year 2013-14 to 2018-19, including ex facto approval from 2011-2012 to 2012-2013. The college authorities, however, have failed to perform their role in the right way keeping the ideals/intention of the autonomous status of the college. Most unfortunately, the college has failed to open more new post graduates courses for the students. It’s a matter of concern that in some departments there are no regular lecturers and they are being managed by guest teachers, while even, the departments where teachers are there, classes are not properly, complained Gochhayat.
The Principal –in-charge of the college himself does not take classes although he is supposed to do so as per the instructions of the Government where it is stated that he has to perform his duty as the Principal-in-charge of the college in addition to his normal duties as a faculty. Some departments are running without university affiliation, alleged Gochhayat.
The situation of the college particularly during the incumbency of the present Principal-in-charge Dr Rajendra Prasad Tripathy, Reader in Sociology, has deteriorated to a great extent at the cost of the students’ interest and the reputation of the college, he stated.
Dr Triapthy has been involved in a number of financial irregularities of funds from different sources such as UGC grants and students donation without maintaining due procedure with transparency. Dr Tripathy and his wife Arnapurna Suar, the Reader of Economics, have been able to submit utilisation certificate (UC) in respect of their minor research projects to the Eastern Regional Office (UGC), Kolkata, without submitting the original bills and vouchers in the account section of the college, which was unearthed during the audit, alleged Gocchayat.
The Accountant General (G&SSA), Odisha considering his application earlier had requested the Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Higher Education, vide its letter No. AG(G&SSA) SS-III-vetting (B) Misc/19 20 1537 dated 6.3.20 to make a detailed inquiry related to corruption and other irregular activities in the college. The Governing Body of the college vide order to its president bearing No 15/2020 dated 4.10.2020 had suspended Dr Tripathy for his illegal actions and rampant financial irregularities. But Dr Tripathy was still clinging to his post of the Principal –in-charge of the college, the complainant said.