Asst profs joining delay: Edu dept to seek status report from universities

The universities where things have not moved despite end of the government’s deadline are Lalit Narayan Mithila University (Darbhanga), Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University, Munger University and Patna University, while KSD Darbhanga University is yet to issue even counselling date

Even though the deadline set by the Bihar state university service commission (BSUSC) to appoint assistant professors for Political Science expired on January 15, the Bihar state universities are moving at their own leisurely pace to fill the vacant posts.

The Bihar education department office

So far, five state universities are yet to fully comply. While some have issued notices to the effect after the lapse of the deadline and have initiated the appointment process, that process is turning out to be cumbersome as verification of certificates is proving to be a Herculean task.

Higher education report NK Aggarwal said that the department would seek the status report from the universities. “After we get the status report, action will be taken as per rules. The department is aware of the delay and some candidates also approached us,” he added.

A vice-chancellor (VC), however, said that it was strange that the recruiting agency could recruit without accountability, unlike the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC), which takes the onus of thorough document verification before interview, and then pass the buck on the universities.

The BSUSC shortlisted the candidates on the basis of documents provided by the candidates by awarding them marks to assess their eligibility for interview call, recommended the names to the universities with a rider that they should give provisional appointment only, as several instances of dubious experience certificates and research papers have come to light and some matters have also reached the Patna high court.

A senior BSUSC official admitted that forged documents could be to the tune of 30%, and said that it was for the issuing authorities, the universities, to separate the wheat from the chaff. The same documents formed the yardstick for interview call to candidates, but now after recommendation of names the onus is on the universities.

As has emerged, verification of documents is turning out to be a big challenge in a state, where even the Bihar State Vigilance Bureau has been unable to track the document folders of around 70,000 school teachers appointed between 2006-2015 despite Patna HC order.

“By giving provisional appointment to all teachers, including the suspected ones, the effort apparently is to push the problem to tomorrow, as the teachers who join once would be difficult to dislodge if the process of verification delays thereafter, as it often happens, and there is change of guard in the universities. Some universities have already given provision appointment, while others are yet to take a call,” said another VC.

BBA Bihar University registrar Sameer Sharma, who released the notification for 50 candidates on January 13, said that there was no issue with the candidates who had not been allotted marks on experience, while the appointment of 10 others had been kept on hold till the verification of their experience certificates.

The universities where things have not moved despite end of the government’s deadline are Lalit Narayan Mithila University (Darbhanga), Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University, Munger University and Patna University, while KSD Darbhanga University is yet to issue even counselling date.

The delay has also affected the joining of bonafide candidates, who have no issues involved, as they have already become junior to others of the same batch.

Soon after the government notification to ensure already delayed joining in Political Science, two universities -- Pataliputra University and Veer Kunwar Singh University -- notified provisional joining within a week, while BBA Bihar University and BN Mandal University did it on January 13, just two days before the deadline ended with 21-day window for joining.

Jai Prakash University issued the notification for document verification on January 16, making it clear that joining would be allowed only after verification of all documents in keeping with the higher education department.

Magadh University issued the notification for appointment on January 19, mentioning that they should join within a month and in case any information furnished by the candidates “is found incorrect, their appointment will be summarily rejected”.

On January 22, Purnea University also issued the notification for appointment, with teachers asked to join in the next 21 days. “They will get their salary and other perks only when the university receives the appropriate grant from the state government. In case of any discrepancy/ irregularity/ illegality is detected at any stage, the service of the concerned candidate will be terminated forthwith,” said the notification signed by registrar.

Strangely, though appointments are being made in the same subject and from the same panel of the BSUSC, the universities are notifying joining on different dates. What is more, some have kept probation period to one year and others to two years.

“The appointment of candidates having availed experience benefit is provisional and will get salary only after final verification of their experience certificates from the concerned institutions,” said the BNMU notification.

The appointment in Political Science subject had hogged limelight ahead of election after the name of Bihar rural work minister Dr Ashok Choudhary surfaced as one of the recommended candidates and later his joining was stopped in the Pataliputra University without any clarity over the reasons behind that, while others joined.

Of the 276 recommendations received from the BSUSC on August 1 & 9, the process for joining of 275 is to be completed. One name in the SC/ST category (that of the minister) has been kept waiting for the time being. It would be null and void if any discrepancy found is detected at any stage in their documents, what is the delay for?” he asked.

CPI-ML legislator Sandip Sourav and some present and past members of the Delhi University Teachers’ Association have also written to the Chancellor, expressing concern over the excruciating delay since the announcement of results on June 24 and allotment of universities on July 4.