SFI calls for HPU to investigate teacher recruitment

In a press note shared by SFI, the student body said that the Executive Council (EC) of Himachal Pradesh University has the power to appoint teachers. The EC has delegated this power to the Vice-Chancellor, which is against the provisions of HPU Act 12 C 7. Petitions regarding these appointments have been filed in the High Court. The petitioners claim that the EC has given such power to the Vice-Chancellor by passing a resolution at their meeting. The High Court has declared it illegal, quashing the appointments of two Associate Professors and an EWS in the Mathematics Department.

The Supreme Court observed that the established norms were ignored in the recruitment process of teachers. Information obtained through RTI revealed that the Vice Chancellor favoured certain persons in the recruitment process, bypassing UGC norms. The Executive Council should decide on the recruitment of teachers. Former Vice Chancellors Dr Sikandar Kumar and SP Bansal are accused of misusing their powers.

To be eligible, the PhD must be completed in the standard format and assessed by an external examiner.

The Supreme Court annulled the appointments of two associate professors and one researcher.

The petitions claim that many of those appointed did not meet the required criteria. EWS and OBC certificates are also under scrutiny. The university administration is accused of illegally appointing unqualified persons, putting eligible candidates at a disadvantage. This unfair practice has affected the lives of thousands of students and the government should look into the matter.

Around 250 teachers and 400 non-teaching staff have been wrongly appointed, all currently working in various posts in HPU. The petitions allege that the appointments were made on the basis of fake research papers. The SFI, therefore, demands that a committee be constituted by the Chief Justice of the Shimla High Court to investigate these appointments.

Key facts about teacher recruitment scams:

Nominations based on fake research papers: As per UGC regulations, candidates must have conducted research and published work/articles in UGC-specified journals. Most of the nominees did not meet this criterion and fake research papers were used for initial selection.

Illegal NET tax exemption certificates: HPU recruitment requires candidates to pass the UGC National Eligibility Test (NET). Candidates without NET eligibility may be exempted if their PhD meets the UGC regulations, 2009. However, some people have been awarded PhD degrees without these conditions and have been granted NET exemptions.

Experience certificates: Candidates must have experience as per UGC Regulation 2018, Section 10. Appointments were made on the basis of basic certificates, without any detailed information. Experience from some private institutions was considered without any minimum qualification.

Transfers between departments: Posts were being illegally transferred between departments without the consent of the Academic Council to make life easier for BJP/RSS cadres.

Fake EWS and OBC certificates: There are questions about the validity of EWS and OBC certificates of some appointees. For example, a person who has held the position of associate professor for ten years is unlikely to qualify for the EWS category.

Abuse of powers of the Executive Council: Acting Vice-Chancellor Bansal usurped the powers of the EC by issuing appointment letters on the same day as the interviews were held, without the consent of the EC.

UIIT recruitment scandal: Candidates with a Ph.D. were omitted, and those with a Master’s degree were appointed. Some appointments were made for people who had previously served as technical experts in the workshops.

Academic corruption: The best candidates were omitted and those disqualified by the selection committee were allowed to join the selection committee.

Financial irregularities: Teachers who were hired against the rules received significant arrears for services rendered in private higher education institutions. Cases where experience from multiple institutions was wrongly counted towards arrears of wages, contrary to regulations.

Illegal recruitment outside of academia:

Professor Sikandar Kumar, in connivance with Dr Mukesh Kumar and RSS member Jasrotia, appointed a large number of outsourced workers in the computer centre, later designating them as computer operators, JOAs (IT), farmhands and programmers. An examination of the outsourcing records will reveal the true picture.

Despite knowing, the then Vice Chancellor did not act on illegal politically motivated appointments. In one such case, an incompetent woman was appointed to a women’s centre because her husband was a BJP alumni.

Impact on university finances:

A regular M.Tech student, Vinod Kumar, a relative of Prof. Sikandar Kumar, was appointed as a programmer while attending regular classes. Such practices have financially strained the university.

SFI State Committee Demands:

1. A committee tasked with thoroughly examining the recruitment process.
2. Action against Dr Sikandar Kumar.
3. Cancellation of membership of BJP Rajya Sabha MP.
4. Governor’s intervention to investigate nominations.
5. SFI plans to initiate public interest litigation against illegal recruitment in Himachal Pradesh University.