Appointments were made of people with connections at important administrative and technical positions in Uttarakhand Technical University (UTU) and HNB Uttarakhand Medial Education University through the agency of Uttarakhand Purva Sainik Kalyan Nigam limited (UPNl).
Interestingly, these appointments were made despite the State Government having warned against such appointments, while directing that the appointments be made in strict accordance with a proper process.
Taking a serious note of the practice of deputations in UTU, the then secretary technical education R K Sudhanshu had directed the registrar of the university on October 16, 2015 that recruitment for important positions like that of assistant controller examinations be made by releasing a prior recruitment advertisement.
However, merely three days after the order, the UTU requested the UPNl to fill the vacant position of the assistant controller (examination) on outsource at a salary of `47,000 per month.
Showing questionable haste, the UPNl sponsored one Arun Kumar for the post within two days of requisition on October 21. Taking exception of contractual appointment on the position, Sudhanshu shot off a letter to the University and opined that the appointment of candidate by outsource or contractual means is not proper on such an important position. Interestingly, the university sat over the directive of the secretary. It is alleged that Sudhanshu was transferred from Technical education department under political pressure and the process of such appointments in the university continued. On May 12, 2016, the registrar of the UTU, Dr Vijay Juyal sent a letter to UPNl to appoint research officer (RO) in the university. A person with Post- Graduation in Technical education was required for the job with a salary of `47,000 per month. On the next day (May 13) UPNl sponsored Dr Divya Juyal for the position. Divya is wife of the registrar Vijay Juyal. Moreover, to hide her identity, she was shown as daughter of Hridayesh Kumar in the appointment letter. Dr Vijay Juyal holds the dual responsibility of the registrars of UTU and HNB Garhwal Medical University.
For a short duration, the VC of UTU P K Garg was handed over the charge of VC of HNB Medical Education University. During this period on April 25, Juyal requested the UPNl to depute candidates on the positions of system manager and research officer. The remunerations for these positions were kept at `40,000 per month. The qualification for the post of system manager was MCA while for RO it was merely graduate. An obliging UPNl recommended names of Pooja Garg for system manager and Kamlesh Negi. Pooja Garg is th daughter of VC, UTU, P K Garg, while Kamlesh Negi reportedly is the wife of deputy registrar of UTU, Satya Prakash Rawat. In case of Kamlesh Negi too an effort to hide the identity was made as she was shown as the daughter of Gajendra Singh Negi. It is learnt that that after the matter came into public knowledge within these universities and people started discussing it in hushed tones both Pooja Garg and Divya Juyal refrained from joining the jobs.
When contacted, the managing director (MD) of UPNl, Brigadier A N Bahuguna (Rtd) told The Pioneer that the many times on the posts requiring technical specialties, the UPNl sponsors the candidates recommended by the department concerned.
Expressing anguish on the gross violation of norms in the process of appointments, an observer said that it is unfortunate that people with connections have made a mockery of system in Uttarakhand.
“If appointments on posts like assistant controller examination, research officers and others are made through the UPNl, what is the use of agencies like Public Service CommissionIJ Similarly the whole episode exposes how influential people are eating into the right of qualified unemployed youths,’’ he said.