Appointment of junior prof as Dean of Faculty at tech varsity raises eyebrows

The appointment of a junior-most professor as Dean of Faculty of Science and Technology reportedly against provisions at the Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram University for Science and Technology (DCRUST), Murthal, has raised eyebrows.

The Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram University Teachers Association (DCRUTA) has submitted a memorandum to the Haryana Governor through registrar and Vice-Chancellor, alleging that the right of natural turn of other senior professors in the faculty has been ignored. The association added that Prof Ashok Kumar, Department of Chemistry; Prof Satish Kumar, Department of Physics; and Prof Navneet Hooda, Department of Mathematics, have been ignored under the well-defined principle of rotation.

The Vice-Chancellor has refuted the allegations.

In the memorandum, Dr Ajay Dabas, president, DCRUTA, said the junior-most professor, Dr Sanjay Kumar, Department of Mathematics, from the faculty of Science and Technology Interface, was appointed as Dean of Faculty last month. Dr Dabas added that as per the University Act, “There shall be a Dean of each faculty, who shall be appointed by the VC. The Dean shall be appointed in rotation from among the professors in various departments comprising the faculty.” Suitable remuneration shall be attached to the office of the Dean, who shall hold the office for a term of three years, the rules add. Dr Dabas further alleged that before the issue of the order on October 1, the university followed the University Act in the appointment of the Dean of Faculty, and the order of seniority was always maintained under the rotation principle. Following the same, Dr BP Malik, Dr PK Bhatia, Dr SK Garg, Dr Partibha Chaudhary, Dr RC Nautiyal and Dr Sudhir Batra were appointed as Dean, Faculty of Science and Technology Interface. The appointment was in natural order of seniority, he added.

After Dr Batra, the order of seniority of the remaining professors was – Dr Ashok Kumar Sharma, Dr Satish Kumar, Dr Nawneet Hooda and Dr Sanjay Kumar, respectively.

After the completion of the tenure of Dr Batra as Dean Faculty, Dr Ashok Kumar Sharma was the next eligible person for appointment as Dean. DCRUTA demanded that the appointment be withdrawn and the Dean be appointed according to the University Act.

Refuting the allegations, VC Dr Shree Prakash Singh said no university rules or Act had been violated in the appointment of the Dean of Faculty. “According to the University Act, the seniority is maintained in the appointment of the Chairman of the various departments, while in the appointment of the Dean of Faculty, the rules do not mention anything about the seniority,” the VC maintained.