Appointments in Central institutions, IITs improperly made, rules violated by UPA: HRD Min
The Modi Government will review all appointments made by the UPA dispensation during its ten-year rule to top posts in Central Government educational institutes like Central Universities, a couple of IITs and many centrally-funded technical institutes, etc.
HRD Minister Smriti Irani said that some of the appointments in institutes of repute were “shocking” and were done by the earlier regime by “overruling” recommendations of search committees. “The appointments of vice-chancellors of Central Universities by the UPA towards the fag end of its tenure had invited much controversy. Some appointments are terrific examples of violations of rules and regulations,” Irani told reporters.
Sources in the Ministry said that most of the appointments made during the regime of Kapil Sibal and MM Pallam Raju were under the scanner following several complaints received by the new Government — both through the PMO as well as directly to the HRD Minister.
Appointments in IITs, including at the post of Director in one of them, are also under the scanner. The person was appointed as the Director by Raju despite a vigilance enquiry pending against him.
Irani said that in several cases the search-cum-selection committees were not properly constituted. “I’m faced with the daunting task of scrutinizing massive irregularities in such appointments and taking corrective measures to keep the institutions out of political interferences,” she said.
Official sources said that the appointment process for VCs of Central Universities of Bihar, Jharkhand, Srinagar, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Punjab, Odisha, Rajasthan, Harisingh Gour University, Guru Ghasidas University and Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna University will be verified.
While the VC of Central University of Jammu was appointed without any search committee, some VCs were given extension without seeking permission of the President who is the Visitor of Central Universities.
Former HRD Minister Murli Manohar Joshi has already raked up the issue of appointments of VCs in at least 15 Central Universities during the UPA regime and written to President Pranab Mukherjee in this regard.
A top HRD Ministry official said that Irani has also taken cognizance of the fact that most of the search committees of Central Universities and a few technical institutions submitted the panel of names after the lok Sabha Model Code of Conduct came into force. The Ministry will check the academic credentials of the “shortlisted” candidates and the final appointments made.
The HRD Ministry is already looking into the appointment of National Bal Bhawan Director Dr Usha Kumari MC. In this case, Raju had ignored the selection committee recommendation in favour of Rishi Kumar Vashisht, currently Deputy Director of the Centre for Cultural Resource and Training.
Irani said that the Bal Bhawan case, for instance, is a “terrific” example of violation of rules and regulations. Preliminary investigations in the case have also found that former NBB Director Amita Shaw, chargesheeted and then suspended on charges of financial irregularities, was reinstated by Raju to enable her get retirement benefits. The Ministry trashed all charges in the midst of General Elections.
Appointments to the governing council of NCTE during Raju’s tenure too have come under scrutiny. One of the four members (Prof Virginius Xaxa of TISS, Guwahati) resigned last week.