Questions raised over process of faculty recruitment in Central University of Punjab

Questions have been raised over the ongoing process of recruitment of 125 faculty members in the Central University of Punjab (CUP) with an assistant professor and two executive council members raising objections in this regard.

Assistant professor Vikas Rathee, department of history, in an e-mail to ministry of human resource development (HRD) on December 22 has alleged that there is no reservation for candidates of other backward classes (OBC) and economically weaker section (EWS) category for the posts of professor and associate professor, which is violation of the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Teacher’s Cadre) Act, 2019, which came into effect from March 7, 2019.

He alleged that the university had adopted different reservation roasters for recruitment in different faculties in different years, which amounts to unfair practice.

Rathee also claimed that the executive council had not approved panel of experts for selection of faculty members.

The advertisement for recruitment of 125 faculty positions in the university was issued on May 22 this year. As per the university website, the process of holding interviews for faculty recruitment is going on.

Rathee said he had raised the matter with varsity officials at various levels in past also.

Two executive members — Prof Aswini Kumar Mohapatra, chairperson of School of International Studies of Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, and Prof Balwan Gautam of Ambedkar Chair, Central University of Himachal Pradesh, have also alleged that due process has not been followed in faculty recruitment in the varsity.

Mohapatra and Gautam said that they have submitted representations to the the HRD ministry in this regard.

Mohapatra said that as per the statute of university, the panel of experts for recruitment in any department is to be constituted by academic council, which is to be approved by the executive council and the vice-chancellor (V-C) can then choose the experts from the approved panel.

He said V-C RK Kohli had sent an e-mail to executive council members requesting them to authorise him to constitute the panel of experts. “I raised objection to this. How can I authorise V-C to set up panel for recruitment if I am not aware about the academic background of people to be included in panel,” he said, expressing that the process adopted is not legally right.

Gautam said he has also raised the same matter in a representation made to HRD ministry.

ASST PROF ARM-TWISTING FOR PERSONAL REASONS: V-C

When contacted, V-C Kohli said he is not aware about any complaint by Rathee. He, however, added that Rathee is resorting to “arm twisting for personal reasons.” He did not elaborate on the issue.”

University registrar Kanwal Pal Singh Mundra, who is also an executive council member, however, rejected the allegations made by Mohapatra and Gautam and said the council members have authorised the V-C to set up panel of experts, which was done under observation of a representative of HRD ministry, which has granted approval for the recruitment process.