By Arfat Khan & Sheebha
Srinagar/Jammu: Openly defying the order of Secretary Higher Education Department, the Vice Chancellor of Cluster University, Jammu has knocked the door of Governor Satya Pal Malik pleading for continuance of retired academicians who have been rehabilitated as ‘Deans’.
Reliable sources disclosed that recently the higher authorities in civil secretariat has taken serious notice of the rehabilitation of influential retired academicians in the Cluster University of Jammu as well as Kashmir against hefty salary and perks thus putting unnecessary burden on newly born varsities in the state by spending huge amount on useless account.
As per order No 373-HE of 2019 dated 04/07/2019 issued by Secretary HED Talat Parvez Rohella with the consent of competent authority, the services of Dr M.Aslam Baba, Prof Maqsooda Khan, Dr G.M.Tibet Baqal, Dr S.P Sharma and Poonam Dhawan were disengaged with immediate effect.
While complying to the order of HED, the VC of Cluster University, Srinagar Prof. Sheikh Javed Ahmad immediately relieved the three academicians who were working as Deans despite their retirement on 31st Jan, 2018, 31st March,2018 and 31st June, 2018 respectively.
However, Prof Anju Bhasin, VC Cluster University, Jammu prefer to fight for continuance of Dr S.P.Sharma and Poonam Dhawan and openly refused to comply order of HED.
Citing admission under process, Prof Bhasin counselled by his Registrar Jatinder Khajuria dashed a letter to Governor who also happened to be Chancellor of varisty pleading for continuance of the duo deans till the completion of their three years tenure.
Poonam Dhawan attained age of superannuation on 31st Aug, 2016 whereas Dr S.P. Sharma was retired on 31st June, 2018.
Highly placed sources in the civil secreteriat reveals “Rehabilitation of people after retirement now become a fashion”
What’s the justification to bestowed their favourite ones with bonanza of re-employment after retirement for an assignment which convincingly can be managed by a serving officers of the institution, added sources.
There is plenty of talented and experienced academicians in constituent colleges of Cluster University, Jammu and in such a scenario the defiant stance of Prof Bhasin against the HED has raised everyone eyebrows, asserted an official of Governor secreteriat preferring anonymity.
This is a serious matter and Governor must act against this culture of favouritism which is existing under the garb of re-hiring at the cost of state exchequer, said a senior officer of HED.
Justifying Prof Bhasin move, Jatinder Khajuria, Registrar Cluster University, Jammu said ” The admission process in underway and disengaging the duo deans will suffer it” But, he couldn’t explain as to how Poonam Dhawan and Dr Sharma are indispensable in the system when there are endless serving academicians are sitting around Cluster Varsity, Jammu.