The University Grants Commission (UGC) has formed a four-member fact-finding team to examine allegations of financial and administrative irregularities in the functioning of the Jamia Hamdard deemed university, including whether its governance structure is in accordance with the prescribed norms, according to a person aware of the development.
This assumes significance since governance issues have emerged in an educational body designated as one of the Institutions of Eminence (IoE), a tag UGC has conferred on 10 public and 10 private universities to encourage them become world class teaching and research bodies as per a 2016 budget decision.
UGC formed the committee after a complaint by Hamid Ahmed, the chancellor of the university, against vice-chancellor Seyed Ehtesham Hasnain, according to the person cited above who did not want to be named.
“There have been charges and counter-charges from both sides — which are of serious nature. Considering the importance of an institution that has been included among those selected for the IoE process, and also since it (the deemed university) receives UGC grants, the commission has formed an expert panel that will look into a range of areas regarding the functioning,” said this person.
While Ahmed has alleged irregularities related to financial and administrative matters, Hasnain has submitted a point-by-point rebuttal, he said.
{{/usCountry}}While Ahmed has alleged irregularities related to financial and administrative matters, Hasnain has submitted a point-by-point rebuttal, he said.
{{/usCountry}}The four-member committee, which will conduct the probe, comprises Rama Shanker Dubey, vice chancellor, Central University of Gujarat; Avinash C Pandey, former vice chancellor, Bundelkhand University; RD Sahay, a former senior official in the human resource development (now renamed education) ministry; and Mohammed Shabbir of Aligarh Muslim University’s law department. A UGC official has also been made the coordinating officer of the panel.
The panel will not just submit its report to UGC on alleged financial and administrative irregularities and Hasnain’s response but also on whether the governance structure of the institute is in line with norms. It will also look into processes of appointments and whether top functionaries such as the chancellor and vice chancellor were appointed as per norms, according to the person cited above.
Another area being looked into is whether the institute is maintaining its academic, administrative and financial records properly and whether all courses offered have got requisite approvals, according to a UGC order.
Hasnain, when contacted, said that he was aware of the UGC move, but asserted that he followed all norms during his stint. He emphasised that he has had a long and distinguished career as an academic and held several top positions. He raised questions regarding the decisions taken by Ahmed and added that he had apprised the UGC about them.
HT tried to reach out to Ahmed through officials of the university but there was no response till the filing of this report.
When asked whether the developments will have a bearing on Jamia Hamdard’s IoE tag — announced in September 2019 — a senior government official, who requested anonymity, said that the findings of the reports of the four-member committee were crucial in this regard. “The IoE programme does expect high standards of governance,” the official added.