PhD ‘invalid’, M’garh varsity asst prof expelled

Sanjam Preet Singh
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, February 22

The Central University of Haryana (CUH), Mahendragarh, has terminated the services of Manoj Kumar, assistant professor, department of English and foreign languages, as the authorities have claimed that he was ineligible for appointment as per the UGC regulations, 2010.

The order of expelling Kumar was issued on Thursday.

Kumar’s “victimisation”, as alleged by the Teacher Association CUH, started last year when questions were raised about the PhD degree awarded to him by Gurukula Kangri Vishwavidyalaya, Haridwar, in 2007. It was alleged that the PhD was not in accordance with the UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedure for Awarding PhD Degree) Regulations, 2009.

The case made out against Kumar was of “concealment of vital information”. The CUH, in a memorandum issued to Kumar on January 24, 2018, accused him of not informing the university that Gurukula Kangri Vishwavidyalaya had withdrawn the certificate mentioning that he had been awarded PhD degree as per the UGC Regulations, 2009.

Subsequently, an inquiry committee with SN Singh, former professor and Dean of Faculty, Delhi University, as its sole member was constituted.

SN Singh said in the inquiry report submitted in September last year, “My finding and conclusion is that PhD degree of Dr Manoj Kumar awarded in 2007 by Gurukula Kangri Vishwavidyalaya, Haridwar, was not in accordance with the UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedure for Awarding PhD Degree) Regulations, 2009, and Dr Manoj Kumar not having passed NET, was not eligible for appointment as assistant professor….”

Kumar, in a letter dated May 30, 2018, to CUH Vice-Chancellor RC Kuhad, alleged that “the inquiry is biased, unconstitutional, unlawful and against the principle of natural justice”.

On February 9, 2018, the Dean, Academic Affairs, Gurukula Kangri Vishwavidyalaya, had issued a certificate to Kumar, clarifying that he fulfilled all conditions as per the UGC (Minimum Qualifications for Appointment of Teachers and Other Academic Staff in Universities and Colleges and Measures for the Maintenance of Standards in Higher Education) Regulations, 2010.

“This exempts the candidate (Kumar) from the requirement of the minimum eligibility condition of NET/SLET/SET for recruitment and appointment of assistant professor or equivalent positions in universities/colleges/institutions,” states the February 9 certificate.

Teacher Association CUH secretary Rakesh Meena said that Kumar had been a victim of “witch-hunt” by the university, as he had brought to light several irregularities in the appointment of Registrar Ram Dutt.

The Registrar was appointed in the CUH in 2015 in spite of “not having the required administrative experience”,

On his “ineligibility”, Ram Dutt told The Tribune, “I know whether or not I am eligible. I don’t want to comment further.”