JAMMU: In blatant violation of university statutes and breach of administrative propriety, the authority in University of Jammu has assigned role of In-charge HoD, Department of Library and Information Science (DL&IS) to junior in teaching hierarchy.
The Registrar, Jammu University vide order No: Adm /TW/22/6587-6636 dated 24/01/2022 without reference of any university statutes has assigned role of I/c Head, DL&IS to Assistant Professor, Dr. Meghna Dhar due to proceeding of incumbent HoD, Prof. Sangita Rani on Sabbatical leave.
Interestingly, this order was completely in defiance to earlier order issued by university authority vide circular number DAA/19/6577-6627 dated 02/01/2019 stressing for strict compliance of statutes governing handing over charge of HoD.
The circular number DAA/19/6577-6627 dated 02/01/2019 issued by Dean Academic Affairs (DAA) termed the practice of assigning charge of Headship to junior faculty members while proceeding on leave as gross academic as well as administrative indiscipline which results in eroding sanctity of the position of HoD/Director especially during significant meetings being chaired by Vice-Chancellor or senior functionaries having policy implications.
The DAA circular further reads “ That while any Head/Director of a teaching Dept of JU proceeds on leave, the charge of HoD be given only to a Professor in the concerned Dept/Centre. And in the event of non availability of a Professor in the Dept, the charge of HoD be handed over to concerned Dean of Faculty (DoF). In case of non availability of DoF, the charge of HoD of concerned teaching Dept be handed over to the DAA.
Paradoxically, both these orders contradicting each other were issued with the approval as well as during the tenure of incumbent VC, Prof. Manoj Kumar Dhar and aptly attributes to the mess prevailing in the JU, said reliable sources in JU.
There is strong resentment prevailing among teaching faculty in the campus where everyone is raising eyebrows on circumstances which compels the authorities to handover charge of HoD to Dr. Meghna in contravention of its own circulars/statutes especially when she is facing serious allegations of furnishing fudged claims for promotion.
Confiding anonymity, a professor of JU alleged “This bounty of favors is obvious as she is distant relative of VC.”
Terming this estrange development as part of fiascos for which JU always remained in limelight during the cut-short tenure of outgoing Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Manoj Dhar, a senior teacher who also served as Registrar of JU confiding anonymity said “For “sweet will”, the authority can do miracles by fiddling with rules book but as per University Calender only a faculty member with Professor grade can be appointed as HoD even if it’s on in-charge basis”.
Pertinently, a senior faculty member of DLIS, Prof. Sangita through number of official communication to VC has leveled serious allegations against Dr. Meghna to ramp up API score by fudging for promotion.
In number of communications to VC, the copies of which is in possession of JK Global News(DLS/21/25/2021), Prof. Sangita with evidence has flagged case of Dr. Dhar and demanded investigation into the alleged fudged claims presented by Dr.Dhar in PBAS Performa for claiming promotion and monetary benefits.
Refuting allegations of manipulating data for promotion, Dr. Dhar said “What’s my fault if the university found me suitable to deliver as in-charge HoD”.
Keeping silence on the outcome of serious allegations leveled against Dr. Dhar by a senior faculty member, Registrar JU said “She is nominated to act as I/c HoD “as per norms” and she is not even a distant relative of VC”
However, JU spokesperson, Vinay Thusso while speaking on the development clarifies “Dr. Dhar was handed over charge of HoD, DLIS as the DoF, Prof. Jasbir Singh “refuses” citing overburdened with additional charges”.
JK Global News Take: The Registrar and Spokesperson are bound to justify the official stand of higher authorities and cannot play beyond the stipulated boundary line. However, the fact remains that there are number of departments in JU where a teacher of one department is officiating as HoD of inter discipline departments due to non availability of faculty member in the Professor grade. Similar, criteria is being followed when the HoD proceeds on leave and there is no one available within faculty with required grade. The ladder to HoD chair is long where each step reflects experience, aging, managerial skills, leadership traits and indeed enhanced qualification which are essential ingredients to perform with responsibility. Rules and regulations are Sanctum-Sanctorum of good governance which is not expected to be fiddle atleast by its musketeers. Not at all in an institute of higher learning.