51 teachers in 4 Haryana pvt varsities were grads or less
CAG REPORT FINDINGS Says professors and associate professors appointed against faculty requirement and cadre ratio norms of AICTE at some places
CHANDIGARH: The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has pointed out a case of 51 faculty members in four private universities of Haryana who were mere graduates or had even lower qualification.
Reports tabled in the ongoing assembly session say that information about Ansal University, Gurgaon (report of 2012-13), NIILM University, Kaithal (201112 and 2012-13), MVN University, Palwal ( 2012- 13) and ITM University, Gurgaon (2009-10) from government records showed that they appointed eight professors, 10 associate professors, and 33 assistant professors with qualifications up to graduate level or even less, and that too without the required experience. This has come out from University Grants Commission (UGC) records and annual reports submitted to the higher education department by the universities. It adds that the updated information about the qualification of faculty was neither maintained by the UGC nor the education department as of December 2015.
The additional chief secretary, higher education department, told auditors during the exit conference that the data of private universities in this regard would be collected, examined; and appropriate action would be taken against the defaulting private universities.
The report adds, “No professor or associate Professor was appointed in a private university located at Kaithal as against the faculty requirement and cadre ratio nor ms of the AICTE (All Indian Council of Technical Education) of at least one professor and two associate professors in each department for technical courses.” UNDUE FAVOUR OF 10 LAKH TO NIILM VARSITY
Going by the Haryana Private Universities Act 2006, an application containing the proposal and the project report with proof of land to establish a university in private sector has to be made by the sponsoring body to the government, along with nonrefundable fee of Rs 10 lakh. An application to set up a private university at Palwal in Faridabad was received on June 16, 2009, from NIILM Education Trust, Faridabad, along with the fee, but the Trust changed the location from Palwal to Kaithal during the presentation of the case on January 4, 2010. TRUST FAILED TO FURNISH LAND DETAILS
The scrutiny committee of academic experts — constituted by the state government under the chairmanship of the vice-chancellor of Kurukshetra University — did not find the proposal in order on January 8, 2010, as the Trust failed to furnish the details of land available in Kaithal as also to present a fiveyear development plan. The land was purchased only on January 19, 2010. “Thus, the case was liable to be rejected with forfeiture of processing fee,” says the CAG.
But later, as the sponsoring body purchased the land, a committee under the chairmanship of the state chief secretary, considered the case on July 12, 2010, and recommended the issuance of letter of intent (LOI) for setting up the university subject to certain conditions. The CAG says the trust should have submitted a fresh proposal.
Also, perusal of records by the CAG as well as physical verification in April 2015 at 11 private colleges showed that in Lord Shiva Group of Institutions, Sirsa, hostel accommodation did not have proper infrastructure, sanitation, mess facilities and other amenities. In Om Group of Institutions, Hisar, the ground floor of the girls’ hostel was being used as residence for staff, and there was no boundary wall for the hostel.
Proper sanitation did not exist at RR College of Education, Ellanabad; Apex College of Education, Ellenabad; and Manav Group of Institutions, Jevra, Hisar, too.