A delegation of the Manav Adhikar Surakshya Manch (MASM), led by its coordinator Abani Kumar Gaya, met the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (Southern Division) here and submitted a memorandum to him demanding cancellation of all illegal appointments, regularisation of 76 NMR employees working for more than two decades and to probe all corrupt practices in the Berhampur University.
Over the last several years, the university has deviated from its core aim of achieving academic excellence and has, instead, been embroiled in huge irregularities and corrupt practices to satisfy vested interests; and groupism has reached in its peak for which an impartial investigation has become urgent to save the university from further deterioration, the memorandum pointed out.
The memorandum alleged that 76 NMR workers have been cheated by the university administration as they are being repeatedly assured of regularisation of their services, but in vain. These NMR employees are on hunger strike since April 6 in support of their demand for regularisation of service and a probe into all the irregular appointments. The university authority have deliberately subverted the demand. Though the university had engaged 187 employees on daily wage basis during the regime of the former Vice-Chancellor, it has regularised 112, Gaya pointed out.
The memorandum also claimed that all the posts which were created and filled up during the regime of former Vice-Chancellor Prof JK Mohapatra during 2010-2013 are illegal and not in conformity with the rules and regulations of the university. Several of these posts then were reportedly filled up even without proper concurrence of the Government.
The memorandum also said that three key administrative officers’ posts, including that of Programme Coordinator of DEC, were created and filled up without the approval of the Government. Similarly, the university had also elevated 40 Readers to the posts of Professor in various PG departments at one go violating UGC-prescribed norms and guidelines.
The memorandum further alleged that the university has converted some reserved posts into unreserved (general) ones without obtaining permission from the State SC&ST Commission and the Government and have advertised the same for filling the posts from among general candidates which is illegal. This has been done to satisfy vested interests, for which an impartial probe into all the allegations has become exigent.
Gaya demanded cancellation of all illegal appointments keeping students’ demand and public perception in mind. The academic circle has expressed surprise as to how the Vigilance inquiry initiated against some university teachers and officers and into examination scams has been kept in cold storage instead of making the outcome of such crucial investigation public. Others who joined the team included Manch president Upendranath Mishra and general secretary Maguni Nahak.