Higher education: Creation of three varsities only silver lining

PATNA: The government’s decision to set up three new universities in the state – Patliputra University, Purnia University and Bihar Animal Sciences University – was the major highlight of academic development in 2016. With the inclusion of three new universities, the total number of universities in Bihar would touch 23.
The newly established Mahatma Gandhi Central University also started its functioning at Motihari this year.In yet another significant development, Nalanda Open University established as many as 80 study centres in most backward blocks of the state. Altogether 140 study centres are to be set up with a view to enhancing the gross enrolment ratio and checking dropouts in higher education in the state.
At a meeting held at Raj Bhavan, the vice-chancellors of different universities decided to have independent data centre for storing information regarding administrative, academic and financial matters. The VCs also agreed to have e-depositories in their respective universities for proper dissemination of relevant information to the agencies concerned.
The VCs and academics discussed at length a proposal mooted by BRA Bihar University, Muzaffarpur, regarding establishment of a state-level higher education board to conduct the examinations of all the universities in the state. However, the proposed board, which was supposed to work on the pattern of Bihar School Examination Board, did not find favour of the chancellor and the state government.
The chancellor quashed the “illegal” appointment of as many as 40 employees made by the selection committee of Maulana Mazharul Haq Arabic and Persian University and directed the vice-chancellor of the university to take corrective steps by re-advertising the posts and making fresh appointments. Acting on the report of an inquiry committee headed by retired Justice Sadanand Mukherjee, which had observed that the appointment of all the 40 employees was done in violation of the Bihar State Universities Act, 1976 as amended up to date and also in violation of the reservation roster, the chancellor further directed the university to take action under Section 35(3) of the Act which speaks of recovering expenditure resulting from wrong appointments from the officers responsible.
The chancellor also constituted a three-member committee headed by Justice (retired) Akhilesh Chandra to probe the alleged irregularities committed by the acting vice-chancellors of all the universities, except L N Mithila University, since April 2013. The committee is supposed to examine all the major decisions involving policy or financial implications, including appointment and promotion taken in the working period of acting VCs appointed in April 2013 on the order of the Supreme Court. And, in the event it is found that those decisions are not in accordance with the provisions of Patna University Act, 1976 and Bihar State Universities Act, 1976 as amended up to date and statutes, the chancellor shall pass the consequential orders after giving notice to the persons likely to be affected by his decision. The committee is likely to submit its report soon.
In another major decision, the chancellor constituted a one-member inquiry committee headed by retired justice Md Mahfooz Alam of Patna high court to inquire into the alleged irregularities in appointment of assistant professors-cum-junior scientists of Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour. The orders for the inquiry were issued by the chancellor after reviewing all the complaints and petitions received from various sources and also after examining the report of the BAU vice-chancellor.
The chancellor’s secretariat has already started the process of appointment of VCs in different universities in the state. While the interview of applicants for the post of VCs of Jayaprakash University (JPU), Chhapra, and Veer Kuar Singh University (VKSU), Ara, has already been completed, the same for the remaining nine universities is likely to commence shortly after the constitution of search committees for these universities by the chancellor.
The teachers and non-teaching staff had to face a harrowing time owing to non-payment of their salaries for four to five months. Students also suffered on account of acute shortage of teachers. Even though the Bihar Public Service Commission has started interviewing candidates following the intervention of Patna high court, the process is very slow. One wonders whether all the appointments would be finalized even by the end of next year.