The Panjab University syndicate quoted urgency as the reason behind clearing the appointment of Prof Neera Grover, the wife of vice-chancellor Prof Arun Grover, to the music department in its September 8 meeting, but her joining is nowhere in sight.
It is learnt that Prof Neera won't be joining before mid-December, as she is serving a three-month notice at the Mumbai college where she is serving presently. This was confirmed by Prof Arun Grover in a recent interview to Hindustan Times.
The syndics who cleared her appointment are in a fix and complained that they were not told about Prof Neera's joining date. Commenting on the issue, music department chairperson Prof Arvind Sharma said: "These are procedural delays and we don't know when Prof Neera would be joining us.
It is from you (the reporter) that we got to know that she would be joining in late December."
The music department had, while seeking the syndicate's approval for Prof Neera's joining, sought one-year appointment of Prof Neera due to shortage of staff. In its letter, the department had mentioned that the appointment was urgent. Interestingly, a committee at the music department had held a meeting on July 5, around 20 days before Prof Arun Grover was to take over as the new vice-chancellor, to discuss the appointment of Prof Neera.
The issue of appointment of Prof Neera was brought to syndicate under rule vol 1 point 5 a (i) of PU calendar. However, under this, only the V-C can make such an appointment. On September 8, Prof Arun Grover had walked out of the house and asked senior most fellow GK Chatrath to preside over the meeting, as he didn't want to take a decision pertaining to the appointment of his wife.
{{/usCountry}}The issue of appointment of Prof Neera was brought to syndicate under rule vol 1 point 5 a (i) of PU calendar. However, under this, only the V-C can make such an appointment. On September 8, Prof Arun Grover had walked out of the house and asked senior most fellow GK Chatrath to preside over the meeting, as he didn't want to take a decision pertaining to the appointment of his wife.
{{/usCountry}}Urgency was the basis: Chatrath
Fellow GK Chatrath, who had presided over the Syndicate meeting on September 8, said: "The appointment was cleared using the power of syndicate based on the fact that there was an urgency. We were not aware that Prof Neera will take another three months to join."