E-Paper
Chandigarh: 10 associate profs redesignated as profs in UT colleges in violation of UGC rules: Audit
Apart from these 10 professors, it was found that one professor was redesignated with a back date in 2014 when it should have been done from 2017
The UT director of higher education redesignated 10 associate professors to professors in various Chandigarh colleges between April 2021 to March 2023 in violation of the University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations, an audit by the director general of audit (central) has found.
As per clause 6.5.1 of the UGC regulations 2010, 10% of the number of posts of associate professors in an undergraduate college shall be that of professors and shall be subject to the same criterion for selection/appointment as that of professors in universities, provided that there shall be no more than one post of professor in each department.
The audit found that as per UGC rules, a maximum of 12 associate professors could be redesignated. The department had already redesignated three associate professors in 2014. As such, only nine positions were left. But the department redesignated 11 associate professors as professors which is more than the permissible limit.
As per clause 6.5.2 of the UGC regulations, there shall be one post of professor in each department of a postgraduate college. Four undergraduate government colleges were upgraded to postgraduate government colleges in 2014. Four professors of commerce were already in four government colleges of Chandigarh who were promoted under clause 6.5.1 of the UGC regulations. Further redesignation of an additional professor by the department violated the regulations.
There were only two departments of sociology in the four PG government colleges, whereas three associate professors were redesignated and the third one was in violation of the regulations. No post graduate department of defence studies, mathematics, fine arts and physics existed in all four colleges. But redesignation of five associate professors as professors was made in these departments which violates the UGC regulations, the audit pointed out.
There was only one PG department of music which, already had a professor after redesignation in 2015. Redesignation of a professor in 2017 further violated the regulations.
Apart from these 10 professors who were appointed violating the rules, it was found that one professor was redesignated with a back date in 2014 when it should have been done from 2017.
₹1.15 lakh not recovered from contractor
Other shortcomings highlighted non-recovery of ₹1.15 lakh from a private contractor who had cancelled his contract with the department and payment of ₹1.24 lakh in interest on delayed payment of gratuity to a professor who retired in 2019.
Amandeep Singh Bhatti, the then UT director of higher education, who is now the UT additional secretary for higher education, did not respond when HT reached out for his comment.
There are nine government colleges and seven grant-in-aid colleges under the purview of the UT department of higher education. The audit has not yet calculated the financial implication of the shortcomings.
