UGC gives ‘C’ grade to Sido Kanhu Murmu University
DHANBAD: The University Grants Commission body--National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC)--has provided ‘C’ grade to Sido Kanhu Murmu University (SKMU), Dumka, because of financial irregularities, technical faults in laboratories, illegal appointment and failure to show any concrete developmental programmes.
The lowest grade means that the university will be sanctioned the least grant, said Santosh Kumar Sil, general secretary of SKMU Teachers Association. Following the council’s grading, the Union government, under Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), provided grant-in-aid to the respective institutions, he said.
“The ‘C’ grade to university is major jolt to teachers of institution as well as to the entire Santhal Pargana division. Perhaps the university officials failed to convince NAAC,” Sil said. He said that the teachers and staff had expected at least ‘B’ grade and the present grade would impede the developmental works undertaken by the university.
A senior university official said that the NAAC team expressed displeasure for passing of university budget in the present financial year without the mandated approval of senate. It also took to task the university officials for appointment of a retired person as the NAAC coordinator.
While the rules mandated that a working official could only be appointed as coordinator, the university had appointed retired official, PK Verma on the post, the official said. Verma reportedly told the council members that vicechancellor had extended his tenure, for which the team said an extension could be provided only by the state government.
The official said that the council team questioned the logic of closing exhaust fans and instead installing air-conditioners in Chemistry laboratories for students.