KU at odds with Edu Dept

Tribune News Service

Kurukshetra, June 26

Kurukshetra University (KU) and the Education Department are wrangling over the approval of the extension of the term of the principal of DAV College for Girls, Yamunanagar.

Sushma Arya, the principal, turned 60 in March and was supposed to retire, but the college management had reportedly recommended the extension of the Arya’s term to the department.

Though the department has given its approval to reappoint Sushma Arya as the principal, the university is not in agreement with the decision.

The university administration has refused to accept Arya as the principal. MM Goel, dean of the KU colleges, wrote to the Higher Education Director on May 18 seeking an explanation for the extension.

Goel told The Tribune today that the university did not yet receive a reply from the state authorities.

He said the financial grants to the college were subjected to suspension and all university departments had been instructed to not to entertain any communication from Arya.

“As per the rules, the teachers and principals in the private colleges and universities retire at the age of 60. Arya’s extension is a violation of the rules,” said Goel.

Sources said the Director of Higher Education granted two-year extension to Arya on April 21. The extension was granted on the condition that the college would not get 95 per cent of the grant from the state government during the extension period and would manage the expenses of the institute on its own, said the sources.

However, Arya claimed that principals of at least three colleges affiliated to KU, including two in Yamunanagar and one in Karnal, had been earlier sanctioned extension after the retirement and the reappointment pertained to the rules.