Ludhiana: Even after 22 months, inquiry report on ineligible principals still awaited

The office of the state director of education department (colleges) released a list of eight principals of colleges affiliated to Panjab University (PU) in August 2022, after a complaint filed by the spokesperson of the Association of United College Teachers (AUCT), Punjab and Chandigarh and a whistleblower, Tarun Ghai, questioning their eligibility for the post.

The union members said that the report of inquiry on these principals had not been shared with them yet. The list included Khalsa College of Gurusar Sudhar and Garhshankar, DAV College in Dasuya and Hoshiarpur, Swami Ganga Giri College for Girls Raikot, SPN College Mukerian, SDP College and Shree Atam Vallabh Jain College in Ludhiana.

“We had written to the state education minister Harjot Singh Bains regarding the delay in inquiry against the principals. Out of these, the principal of SPN College Mukerian was not receiving grant from 2022 on the order of then education secretary Krishan Kumar but still he is serving as principal in the same college,” informed Ghai. He further added that three principals out of these eight have already vacated their seats and the number now has been reduced to five.

The union members also mentioned that three committees have been formed each by the PU, state government and Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) to inquire into the matter in 2022 and 2023, the report for which is still awaited.

“Our question is, what is taking so long? Upon my complaint, the department itself identified eight such principals in the first phase and the inquiry committee was required to submit the report within 15 days. If the inquiry is complete, then why has the report not been made public yet? We only request the government to keep a check on the ineligible people on such posts to make sure that the UGC guidelines 2010, which were adopted by the state government in 2013, are being obeyed and the people appointed after 2013 are appointed as per the selection committee of the concerned university,” said Ghai.

When approached, Sandeep Kumar, principal of Shree Atam Vallabh Jain College said he had submitted all the required documents in 2022. “When my name came up, I submitted all the concerned documents and whether or not one is ineligible is to be decided by the university,” he said.

Ashwani Bhalla, deputy director higher education, Government of Punjab, who was also a member of an inquiry committee formed by the department of education (colleges) said he was unaware of the matter. “Harleen Kaur Bedi is in charge of the same,” he added.