JAMMU: Striving to be an institution of excellence in higher education, Jammu University, has been operating with 6 of its top 7 posts in administration vacant for decades.
The three crucial positions which are considered as vital organs of varsity administration— Registrar, Controller of Examination, Director College Development Council, have not had dedicated incumbents for decades together which reflects the level of seriousness prevailing among those remain seated on the chair of Vice-Chancellor from time to time in the University of Jammu (JU).
Similar is the fate of other three significant posts-Director Distance Education, Chief Librarian and Director Sports, which ostensibly failed to draw required attention of the Raj Bhawan as well as the varsity authorities for last more than 20 years.
Surprisingly, instead of hiring full time incumbents, the authority in JU develops penchant for assigning additional charge of these important posts to academicians.
Attributing this practice as reason behind declining standard of academics and research in campus, a senior officer of varsity said “Knowingly that prolonged vacant status running into decades of these posts can cause more harm than good to the institution, the successive Vice-Chancellors since 2000 prefers to field members of his coterie as musketeers who juggled these vacant positions with other roles”.
Strangely, JU does not even have a permanent registrar which is considered as the custodian of records and is tasked with significant assignments, issuing notices convening meetings of different university bodies etc.The incumbent is a Professor of Law Department and is officiating as acting Registrar. Prof. O.S.Sudan luckily was the only person who was appointed as permanent Registrar of JU after several years and upon his retirement this position is too lying vacant for the last more than 20 years.
Even the post of Chief Librarian is lying vacant for last 30 years where funds worth crores every year incurred on purchase of journals, books including e-books and related software in absence of any qualified full time Librarian, always remain a wasteful exercise and a big loss to the state exchequer. “The authorities choose to run Library affairs by assigning its additional charge to teachers which have neither qualification nor experience in Library as it suits them”, added a senior officer of JU confiding anonymity.
Similarly, crucial posts of Controller of Examination, Director-Colleges Development Council, Director-Distance Education and Director-Sports are also allowed to remain vacant for more than 2 decades. Dr.P.S.Sahi, Dr. Santokh Ram and B.K.Magotra were the only officers who had served as permanent CoE, DDE and Director (Sports) respectively in the last 20 years.
Members of the teaching faculty and JU’s administration told JKGN that the proactive policy of managing the affairs of these vital vacant positions by means of temporary arrangement is taking a toll on its functioning, affecting a number of things especially the teaching & research work in the varsity.
The posts lying vacant come with a packed profile and ideally require full-time incumbents and prolong practice of assigning additional role of vacant administrative posts to academicians is sole reason behind declining level of academics and Research in JU, says an officer privy to the functioning of JU.
Notably four member committee constituted vide No PA/REG/20/736-46 dated 06/07/2020 to re-examine the controversy surrounding Geology Department in JU in its Supplementary Report submitted vide letter No : PGC/COM/2020/534-I dated 9/1/2020 categorically pointed neglect of teaching work by teachers due to dual responsibility of teaching and administration. “Judicious allocation of additional responsibilities can ensure regular class work and thereby minimizing unrest among students” reads point No 4 of the SR.
Further, the committee in its observation also submitted recommendations for the consideration of the University authorities and most significant among it says “The report of the Committee headed by Prof. Neetu Andotra, the then present Registrar has said that dual responsibility is one of the causes of conflict of interest of the Faculty Members that has resulted into the neglect in Teaching and Research. This needs to be pondered.
Reliable sources in JU told “This fluid situation was self made allegedly to suit own hidden agendas as well as the wishes of political masters else how come these key positions were allowed to remain vacant for several decades by the successive VCs”
Currently, Prof. Arvind Jasrotia of Law Department has been given additional charge as Registrar, Prof. Jasbir Singh of Economics Department is officiating as CoE while Prof. Varsha Mehta of Business School assigned with additional role of Librarian. Prof. Satnam Kour of English Department and Prof. Rajni Kant of Physics Dept are officiating as DDE and DCDC respectively. Whereas, Dawood Iqbal who was appointed as academic coordinator is holding additional charge of Director Sports.
Faculty members and other senior university officials have questioned the deliberate attempt to keep crucial posts vacant for decades and called the successive VC style of functioning “arbitrary”, saying it was “paralyzing” the university.
“How can you do justice to such important roles which required full time dedicated incumbents when just one person is handling 2 or 3 positions” question a senior Professor who also served as Registrar in JU.
“The V-C’s decision of not making appointments on these posts is not at all justifiable. These decisions are demoralizing and are paralyzing the functioning of university.” he added. It is High time for LG Manoj Sinha to immediately intervene and set things right before it gets too late, he added.
Speaking on behalf of VC JU, the official spokesperson of varsity Vinay Thusoo said that interviews are “planned to be held shortly” as applications have been received for top vacant posts and are being scrutinised.