Expressing concern over the Higher Education Secretary’s inaction on its direction issued in 2012, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has written a letter to the Director General of Vigilance to undertake an inquiry to find out how the under qualified lectures were provided the UGC pay scale.
Meanwhile, Higher Education Minister Badrinarayan Patra has asked the concerned officers to conduct a departmental probe to unearth the irregularities in payment of University Grant Scale payments in both Government and non-Government colleges. He also asked the authorities to file criminal proceedings against those found guilty.
The CAG has reportedly sought the intervention of the State Vigilance for a detailed probe into the irregularities in the provision of UGC Pay Scale to the under qualified lecturers in both Government and non-Government aided colleges.
As many as 17 under qualified Government college lecturers and 104 Non-Government aided college lecturers were getting UGC scale.
According to the CAG report, while some of the lecturers receiving the UGC scale have secured less than the required 55 per cent of marks in Post Graduate level, some other lecturers were getting the UGC scale even though they did not complete the Refresher course.
The Higher Education Minister informed that compliance reports have been sought from the lecturers and action would be taken against them and other officials if found guilty. He said some lecturers have already filled up the deficiency.
According to Patra, the CAG in its report had not recommended for recovery of the salary from the lecturers. At present a total of 2, 898 lecturers, including 1,163 Government and 1,735 non-Government aided college lecturers, are getting UGC scale in the State.