After the Hari Gautam Committee formed by the HRD Ministry to look into the working of the United Grants Commission (UGC) reported serious lapses in its execution, an illegal appointment of the Joint Secretary has come to the fore. Out of the six posts of Joint Secretaries filled by the UGC, it is alleged Dewender Kawdey, one of the candidates selected by the UGC, did not meet the criteria.
According to the information with The Pioneer, Kawdey meets neither the criteria of requirement of present salary nor the experience. “Kawday was appointed in gross violation of the minimum eligibility conditions. He had joined as an Assistant Professor in GS College of Commerce & Economics on a regular basis only in 2006 in the scale of pay of PB 3 +AGP Rs6,000. He was placed in the AGP of Rs8,000 only in August 2014 under the Career Advancement Scheme (CAS) for teachers,” a source told The Pioneer.
Dr. Kawdey was drawing his salary in the AGP of Rs7,000 till July 2014 and was placed in the AGP of Rs8,000 only in August 2014. “It is evident that Kawday at the time of applying for the post of Joint Secretary was holding a post in the AGP of only Rs7,000. As per minimum requirement, a candidate should have had at least 5 years of service in the GP of Rs7,600 (AGP Rs8,000) whereas Kawday was not even placed in that GP/AGP before the last date of submission of application form (31 July 2014).
The post required candidates with maximum of five years experience which Kawdey does not have.