New Delhi: The Delhi University's Teachers Association (DUTA) on Wednesday accused Vice Chancellor Dinesh Singh of defying government order regarding the freeze on appointments three months before his tenure ends.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) had earlier this month directed him not to make any appointments after July 28 as his tenure ends three months from then.
"In a shocking expression of defiance, the VC has allowed two constituent DU colleges, namely Swami Shraddhanand College and Shyama Prasad Mukherjee College to schedule interviews for permanent appointments of teachers after this date," DUTA President Nandita Narain said.
"According to the current composition of the Selection Committee for permanent appointment of faculty in DU colleges, the VC will be represented by four personally nominated experts out of a total of seven members in the Committee. In such a scenario, the scheduling of interviews after July 28 can only be deemed as illegal," she added.
Following the directive from UGC, the varsity had gone on a hiring spree and its move to line up back-to-back interviews for important administrative positions within a week, had raised eyebrows with a section of teachers terming it an "unholy scramble" and demanding President Pranab Mukherjee's intervention in the issue.
Amid complaints against one of the candidates shortlisted for the post of Controller of Examinations, DU had last week deferred the interview process.
"We urge the HRD ministry to promptly intervene and ensure that the scheduled interviews for permanent appointments are cancelled forthwith and appropriate punitive measures are initiated against the VC," Narain said.
The teachers' body has also alleged that despite Constitution of Governing Bodies (GB) in 28 colleges funded by Delhi Government, the varsity has permitted the truncated GBs to carry on with their proceedings.
The AAP government had in April ordered a freeze on all appointments in 28 Delhi University colleges funded by it till the governing body members were appointed in them, following which the varsity had on July 20 approved the nomination of GB members.
University authorities, however, denied allegations saying there has been no deviation for the established norms.
"The advisories and directives of the government have always been respected by DU while maintaining the sanctity of the statutes and ordinances that govern the university and no departure has been made from these well established norms," DU spokesperson Malay Neerav said.
