In what comes across as a scam involving several lakhs of rupees, six teachers of Kirori Mal College (KMC) have not paid the university money which they withdrew as salaries for unproductive study leaves. Some of these teachers went for their study leaves as early as 1993 but haven’t submitted their thesis till date. Despite several warning, notices and disclaimers being issued by the college, these teachers still continue to teach in the college and haven’t paid the money back. If totalled, the amount that these teachers owe the college is nearly Rs34.5 lakh. Delhi University, after giving extensions to these teachers for a long time, finally asked the governing body of the college to settle the matter. However, the governing body has not taken up the issue as yet.
The Pioneer has copies of the documents proving that the college at repeated instances has asked these teachers for the money along with the bond that these teachers signed where they had to return the money if they failed to complete their research.
As per university norms, if a teacher decides to go for a study leave, h/she would be paid for the duration provided that at the end of the period, a thesis or compilation of their work is submitted. If not, then the teacher has to return the money withdrawn by him/her throughout that duration, in full. The teachers also sign a bond stating these norms before going on a study leave. However, in KMC, for the past 21 years, the bond has not lead to any action against teachers who have failed to complete their thesis. In fact, all of those teachers are still working in the college without problems. Some of these teachers are even working at the college for over 25 years.
The university wrote a letter two years back on October 19, 2012 where the governing body of the college was asked to take up the matter. Two years on, nothing has been done. The letter read, “The matter has been examined by the university at an appropriate level. Now the governing body of the college may consider settlement of these cases.” The letter further added that “the cases of teachers who are either unable to complete their studies or failed to re-join college on the expiry of the study leave granted to them till 2002 that is prior to implementation of the General leave Rules, 2002, may be dealt with by the governing body of the colleges at their own level in accordance with the conditions incorporated in the study leave bond executed by them at that time of proceeding on study leave.”
The governing body meeting of KMC, according to sources, is on Sunday. However, there is no confirmation yet whether this issue would be brought up or not.
The oldest case in this debacle is of an associate professor of Statistics who took study leave from September 19, 1993 to October 15, 1996 and was in University of Delhi itself in the duration of the leave. However, the case involving the maximum money if of an associate professor of Economics who took study leave from October 17, 2006 to December 21, 2010 and was in Monash University in Australia during that time.
Sources in the college have revealed that initially enquiries were also held against these teachers but because of their influential contacts the matter was suppressed. “Inquiries were set up against these teachers and even went on for seven to eight months but were suppressed. In fact complaints regarding these teachers have been sent to the Vice Chancellor of the university and the Ministry of Human Resource Development. Yet, nothing has been done. It is likely that the principal is under pressure from the top,” said the source. The acting principal of the college Dr SP Gupta was unreachable despite repeated attempts.