The alleged irregularities in the purchase of books at the Brahmapur University have become public with the Syndicate taking a reported decision to hand over the matter to the State Crime Branch of Police for probe soon. According to information, the Syndicate, the highest decision-making body of the university, took this decision at its meeting held on Friday.
It may be noted that the university had for the first time supplied text books and other prescribed course materials to the students of the Distance Education mode last year for which the University had entered into an agreement with a private firm. But it was alleged then that the firm could not supply all the prescribed course materials and textbooks in time as per agreement, thereby causing problems for examinees.
On the other hand, the private firm had reportedly claimed that it had supplied books worth rupees 1.8 crore. After massive media highlights, students started demanding an impartial probe into the scam and, consequently, the university authorities took up the issue seriously and assured them of a probe.
Accordingly, a Syndicate Sub-Committee was constituted to probe into the matter. During its investigation, the sub-committee found deviations in the purchase process of tender call, notice period given, quantum of books and reading materials and their quality and nascence, and failure of the firm to supply the same in time. To make the investigation more transparent, the Syndicate then entrusted the local Fund Audit (lFA) with probe responsibility. The lFA too found corrupt practices in the purchase process.
“As students and public have been demanding that matter be probed either by the Crime Branch or the Vigilance, the Syndicate has decided to go for a Crime Branch in order to instill faith among them about the varsity management,” said an insider.
The insider even speculates that relevant stakeholders like former Vice-Chancellor, Registrar, Director of Distance Education, Recommending Officer and the book supplier will come under the probe ambience.Sources also said lakhs of rupees have been misappropriated.
In the meantime, a group of students, as a token of their protest, have displayed a board ‘To let’ at the door of the VC’s official quarter protesting his all-the-time absence. The students have also mentioned in that board that “persons interested to take this quarter on rent may contact the Registrar,” sources said.
Similarly, neither the Registrar nor the Controller of Examinations (CoE) is also staying in their respective official quarters. Students have also to put “To let” board at their gates. The non-stay of VC, Registrar, the CoE and the Chairman of the PG Council in their respective quarters inside the campus is one of the reasons of frequent students’ unrest and administrative lapses. Their absence has also given rise to scant police patrolling and entry of non-students and antisocials into the campus, some students pointed out.
Manav Adhikar Surakshya Manch coordinator Abani Kumar Gaya has urged upon the Chancellor and the Secretary Higher Education either to direct these four officers to stay in their quarters or else stop their house rent immediately. He also demanded that the Government give all the scams including purchase, construction and appointment of faculty and NMR workers to the CBI for an impartial probe at one go.