No salary, orders Bihar official after vice-chancellor skips meeting. Guv steps in

PATNA: Bihar governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Friday took strong exception to Bihar’s education department stopping the salary of the vice chancellor and Pro-vice chancellor of a state university and freezing its bank accounts after they missed a review meeting convened by additional chief secretary KK Pathak.

In a harshly-worded communication, the governor’s office told the education department to reverse its orders which it said, were “arbitrary”, an “attack on the autonomy” of the university and an encroachment of the powers of the chancellor. The governor is the ex-officio chancellor of Bihar’s state universities.

“It is arbitrary and beyond jurisdiction. I am directed to convey that the above-mentioned orders may be withdrawn and these types of unwarranted acts may be avoided in future,” Robert L Chongthu, principal secretary to the governor, said in a letter to education department secretary Baidyanath Yadav.

Yadav issued the order to stop the salary of Shailendra Kumar Chaturvedi, the in-charge vice chancellor of Bhimrao Ambedkar University and Ravindra Kumar, the Pro Vice-chancellor didn’t show up at a review meeting convened by KK Pathak To be sure. Chaturvedi is the vice chancellor of Veer Kunwar Singh University (Ara) and was given additional charge of the Ambedkar University in March.

Chongthu said the state government has the power under Section 54 of the Bihar State Universities Act, 1976 to audit the universities, but did not have the power to freeze its financial powers and bank accounts.

“The act is arbitrary and beyond jurisdiction. It seems to be an attack on autonomy of the university and you have encroached upon the powers of the chancellor. I am directed to convey that the above-mentioned orders may be withdrawn and these types of unwarranted acts may be avoided in future,” it added.

Chongthu has also told the banks not to implement the education department’s orders to freeze the university’s bank accounts.

Bureaucrats at the education department stripped the top university officials of their financial powers saying there was no information from the university about the steps taken to clear the backlog of exams and streamline sessions.

“ The meeting was called for overall review, but in the absence of V-C and Pro V-C, it could not be completed. The power-point presentation sent by the university reflects that there has been no inspection of colleges under it. It reflects a violation of the provisions under the varsity act,” the order signed by Baidyanath Yadav.

The letter said the government has decided to audit the university. “Under these circumstances, the operation of its bank accounts has been withheld and till further orders, the salary of both in-charge VC and Pro-VC is stopped. They are also restrained from exercising their financial powers,” said the order.

The Federation of University Teachers’ Association of Bihar (FUTAB) took a swipe at KK Pathak, saying his decision was a “transgression” into the authority of the universities and Raj Bhawan and reminded him that teachers in any case were getting salaries after delays.

“A department that cannot even ensure monthly payment to teachers and employees should not try to dictate. Even salary and pension remain due to three months even though the institutions are functioning at 40% PF the sanctioned strength,” said FUTAB working president KB Sinha and general secretary Sanjay Kumar, MLC in their letter to Raj Bhavan.

They said Pathak didn’t have the power to stop the VC’s salary. “It is merely a tactic to embarrass the person holding the highest academic position. If the ACS calls a meeting of V-Cs, that is also against the protocol. If the ACS has any issue, he can only recommend it to the chancellor through the education minister. VCs are answerable to the chancellor. A V-C can be called by only three authorities - chancellor, chief minister and education minister,” they added.