With the controversy surrounding alleged appointments of ineligible candidates as Assistant Professors during the years 2010-2013 still alive, the Kumaon University recently released a recruitment advertisement for 53 faculty positions. The skeptics, however, point out that the officials has advertised less number of posts to keep the path open for backdoor entries in the University.
The University has released the advertisement in which applications for 10 posts of Professors (4 Unreserved, 6 Scheduled castes), 17 Associate Professors (3 UR and 14 SC) and 26 posts of Assistant Professors (13 UR, 3 SC, 4 ST and 6 OBC) were invited. One of an unemployed National Eligibility Test (NET) qualified candidate claimed that the university officials have deliberately advertised less number of vacancies so that those working on contract can continue to work.
Giving an example he informed that 11 assistant Professors are working on contract in department of computer science while in the advertisement only one post was mentioned.
“It clearly proves that the university officials are planning to adjust their favorites from backdoor. If and when the permanent appointments are done then those working on contract would have to leave. To protect them the officials have played this game. later they would somehow regularize the services of these contractual members,’’ claimed one of person acquainted with the university.
The registrar of the university DC Pandey however refuted the charge of irregularity. He said that the university advertised vacancies for the posts which are sanctioned by the government. Pandey claimed that many faculty positions are employed on self finance basis the university.
The university however would be treading cautiously in the new recruitments as the previous appointments were mired in the controversy. It is alleged that twenty candidates were appointed as Assistant Professor in the University who did not had the basic NET qualification. It is generally believed that most of these ineligible candidates are family members of people influential in the politics of State.