Patna:
Bihar Governor Devananda Konwar is mired in controversy over the appointment of six Vice Chancellors across state universities. The Accountant General, in his inspection report, has said that the appointments made by the Governor are irregular.
"No consultation was ever held between His Excellency the Governor of Bihar and Hon'ble Chief Minister over the appointment of Vice Chancellor/ Pro-Vice Chancellor during 2011 -12. Hence , the appointment of Pro-Vice Chancellors of four different universities made by His Excellency, the Governor of Bihar in August 2011, without consultation with State Government was irregular," the report said.
Governor Devanand Konwar issued the notification for the appointment of the Vice Chancellors last year. The notification claimed that it is issued in consultation with the state government - something the state government has repeatedly denied.
The state government further said the move violated the Bihar State Universities Act, 1976 which made it mandatory for the Chancellor to consult the state government.
The report has analysed their appointment as more than Rs 1300 crore is disbursed to them and the Vice Chancellor is also in control of the financial purse of the University.
The audit report categorically mentions that the Vice Chancellor of Patna University, Shambhu Nath Singh, doesn't fulfil the eligibility criterion for appointment, and in strong words says that Mr Singh was able to obtain the post through the collusion of the senior officials of the Governor's Secretariat. It further says Mr Singh has been drawing his salaries from the funds substantially contributed from the Consolidated Fund of the state.
"I don't want to say anything on this matter as it is sub-judice," Mr Singh said.
The report also mentions that two appointees - Dr Vimal Kumar of Muzaffarpur's BR Ambedkar university and Dr Arbind Kumar of Kameshwar Singh Sanskrit University in Darbhanga - were facing criminal enquiries. This, the report says, goes against the University Grants Commission's requirement that persons of the highest level of competence, integrity, morals and institutional commitments are to be appointed as Vice Chancellors.
The report also states that no document in support of consultation was shown to audit by Rajbhavan's senior officials despite the repeated request by the Accountant General's office.
A division bench of the Patna High Court will now hear the matter in third week of July.
This is not the first time that the Bihar government and Raj Bhawan have seen tussle over matters related to higher education in the state. The Governor had last year declined his assent to three key bills - Bihar University Service Commission Bill 2011, Bihar University Tribunal Bill and the Bihar State School Teachers and Employees Dispute Redressal Tribunal 2011 - which were tabled in both Houses of the Bihar legislature.
Though the matter is in court, after this report the now onus is now clearly on the Governor to prove when the consultation took place and in what circumstances people facing the vigilance probe were appointed as Vice Chancellors in the state.
"No consultation was ever held between His Excellency the Governor of Bihar and Hon'ble Chief Minister over the appointment of Vice Chancellor/ Pro-Vice Chancellor during 2011 -12. Hence , the appointment of Pro-Vice Chancellors of four different universities made by His Excellency, the Governor of Bihar in August 2011, without consultation with State Government was irregular," the report said.
Governor Devanand Konwar issued the notification for the appointment of the Vice Chancellors last year. The notification claimed that it is issued in consultation with the state government - something the state government has repeatedly denied.
The state government further said the move violated the Bihar State Universities Act, 1976 which made it mandatory for the Chancellor to consult the state government.
The report has analysed their appointment as more than Rs 1300 crore is disbursed to them and the Vice Chancellor is also in control of the financial purse of the University.
The audit report categorically mentions that the Vice Chancellor of Patna University, Shambhu Nath Singh, doesn't fulfil the eligibility criterion for appointment, and in strong words says that Mr Singh was able to obtain the post through the collusion of the senior officials of the Governor's Secretariat. It further says Mr Singh has been drawing his salaries from the funds substantially contributed from the Consolidated Fund of the state.
"I don't want to say anything on this matter as it is sub-judice," Mr Singh said.
The report also mentions that two appointees - Dr Vimal Kumar of Muzaffarpur's BR Ambedkar university and Dr Arbind Kumar of Kameshwar Singh Sanskrit University in Darbhanga - were facing criminal enquiries. This, the report says, goes against the University Grants Commission's requirement that persons of the highest level of competence, integrity, morals and institutional commitments are to be appointed as Vice Chancellors.
The report also states that no document in support of consultation was shown to audit by Rajbhavan's senior officials despite the repeated request by the Accountant General's office.
A division bench of the Patna High Court will now hear the matter in third week of July.
This is not the first time that the Bihar government and Raj Bhawan have seen tussle over matters related to higher education in the state. The Governor had last year declined his assent to three key bills - Bihar University Service Commission Bill 2011, Bihar University Tribunal Bill and the Bihar State School Teachers and Employees Dispute Redressal Tribunal 2011 - which were tabled in both Houses of the Bihar legislature.
Though the matter is in court, after this report the now onus is now clearly on the Governor to prove when the consultation took place and in what circumstances people facing the vigilance probe were appointed as Vice Chancellors in the state.
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