VC chamber is not a training nursery. Term comprising of 3 years is enough to showcase ability and acumen. Fed up with chaotic style of working of locals as V-C in past, the vast majority of academicians in campus are strongly craving for dynamic non local as new head of Jammu University
JAMMU: Even as the term of Vice Chancellor of Jammu University Prof. Manoj Kumar Dhar is ending this year in July, the Lieutenant Governor secretariat yet have not announced the ‘Search Committee’ comprising of experts for drawing panel for selection of new face to head the JU.
Aggrieved with burgeoning nepotism and favoritism in the functioning of JU, majority of the faculty members in the campus are in favour of non local academician having vision and acumen to lead this institution as Vice Chancellor for its growth commensurate to varsity level.
Even, the LG secretariat is aware of the alleged mess prevailing in the JU administration and thus conveyed its intention by cut short tenure of Jammu University VC-Prof Manoj Dhar from 5 to 3 years term by order No :GS-3 (Appt-VC)/JU/2018/794-797 dated 12/2/2021 issued by Nitishwar Kumar, Principal Secretary to LG.
Reliable sources attributed delay in formation of ‘Search Committee’ due to pressure from a lobby having affiliation with BJP and one MP is trying hard for securing extension to Prof. Dhar.
“Running for extension is a personal interest of individual(s) but for LG Manoj Sinha overall growth and excellence in JU is not only a concern but indeed a priority”-Sources.
Ever since his appointment as Vice Chancellor, Prof. Manoj Dhar remained in eyes of storms for his alleged acts of favoritism and nepotism in running the administration of JU. The insiders attribute this grave mess owing to the personal liking and disliking of V-C being local.
The past three years in JU campus is a saga of mismanagement, told one Professor who also remained as Registrar of JU. “Everything in the campus was managed through a coterie of sycophants and inexperienced juniors by ignoring senior most faculty members” said another Professor.
Substantiating his allegations, the Professor said “The recent constitution of University Council for the period 2021-24 is a glaring example of nepotism running rampant in JU”.
Keeping the LG secretariat in dark, Registrar of JU, Prof Arvind Jasrotia, who is also Dean Faculty of Law was made member of the Council ignoring several senior Deans, when matter of the fact is that the Registrar is a defacto member Secretary of the University Council. This was deliberately done to keep his close aide for smooth passage of his hidden agenda in the Council without any resistance and deliberations, added Prof.
In past also during the tenure of VC Prof. Amitabh Mattoo, a non teaching employee of JU who still holds no master degree manage to secure Professor Grade as the agenda was passed in the University Council as everyone from JU campus in the Council belongs to the Prof. Mattoo coterie.
There are wide ranging allegations against Prof. Dhar for executing several crucial tasks in cahoot with coterie of sycophants besides appointing juniors to head significant posts at the cost of deserving and senior faculty members.
Change of 5 Registrars in time period of less than one and half year since he was appointed as VC in July, 201 is also a tip of iceberg. There is frequent transfer and postings of Controller of Examination (CoE), Director, College Development Council (DCDC) and Director-Directorate of Distance Education (DDE).
In less than 2 years, the University got 4th CoE , 4th DCDC as well as 4th Director, DDE. This is a summary of mess and chaos prevailing in JU, says a Professor of JU. There are also wide spread allegations against VC-Prof Dhar for appointing juniors as Director Sports, Director-IT, Provost Hostels and Registrar ignoring competent, experienced faculty members. The purchase of LEDs TV screens worth lakhs are bitting dust resulting in failure of UGC prestigious project MOOCS.
The varsity has already suffered a lot and the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha should constitute ‘Search Committee’ without delay for selection of new Vice-Chancellor of Jammu University, said an officer of JU wishing anonymity.