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SADAKET MALIK
The infamous scholarship scam in previous years together with misappropriation of Rs 12 Crore TEQIP project and appointments of different employees who gained employment by producing off campus degrees on the basis of which selections are made defying the directions of Honourable High court, General Adminstration Department and Higher education department has put the university in credibility crisis.
All this has put a question mark on the ivory tower image of the reputed seat of learning.
In another case the audit report of the Jammu and Kashmir government regarding Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University (BGSBU) Rajouri, revealed violation of norms done during execution of works by the University.
As far as the allegations of gaining employment on basis off campus Distance degrees.
The government order revealed from time to time that”The degree obtained through distance education mode from off-campuses which have been established by the state universities beyond their territorial jurisdiction shall not be recognized”. Inspite of the clear cut directions some tainted employees on such degrees are appointed.
This exposes the tall claims of transparency and accountability.
In 2012 the order of the J&K High Court questioned hundreds of government employees in Jammu and Kashmir as they have gained employment or promotions based on the qualifications obtained through distance mode of off campuses.
It is worthwhile to mention here that
Degrees awarded by IGNOU, DOEACC and Maulana Azad National Urdu University`s (MANUU) have been held valid from time to time.
Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University was established by the Government of Jammu & Kashmir through J&K Legislative Assembly Act No. XVI of 2002 and the same is recognised by the AICTE and UGC, New Delhi, under sections 2F & 12 B. The university has been placed at No. 36 among the country’s best government universities conducted survey by the India Today Group in collaboration with Marketing and Development Research Associates.
In 2015 the police claimed to have arrested an employee accused in the Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University scholarship scheme.A clerk associated with the scholarship branch, had been evading arrest ever since the scam was unearthed. A clerk and a J&K Bank employee, had allegedly committed a fraud worth about Rs 17 lakh.
The activists of NGO Sangarsh- A civic movement for Justice, Equality, Peace, Prosperity and Brotherhood expressed concern over the non execution of the forensics laboratory report of the much hyped and published scholarship scam surfaced in BGSBU.
In 2018, High Court has stayed the appointment of Assistant Registrar appointed through backdoor in Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University and issued notice to Registrar of the varsity appointed AR on temporary basis vide office memo No. BGSBU/Estb/18/339 dated 03-05-2018. This was challenged through a writ petition titled Sarfraz Bukhari Versus Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University and Others.
Counsels for the petitioner Advocate Abhinav Sharma and Advocate Ahsaan Mirza submitted that for the appointment of two Assistant Registrars BGSBU Rajouri on 06-09-2013 issued Advertisement No. BGSBU/ ESTAB/13/7590-7609 and in response to that hundreds of eligible candidates filled forms including the petitioner.“Instead of completing the selection process Vice Chancellor BGSBU just to appease the then Ministers vide no BGSBU/Estb/ 18/339 dated 03-05-2018 the said employee was later demoted.
In research aspect the university too has been under crisis for engaging blue eyed condidates.
In november 2020
The candidates who had applied for admissions in PhD at Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University (BGSBU) Rajouri on alleged discrepancies in selection of the p.hd candidates.
In 2023 the major Research bundling surfaced TEQIP project and its employees were involved.
The concern was also showed by the BGSBU University Teachers Association (BUTA) for immediate action against the erring employees. The demand was conceded by the Vice chancellor of the university Prof. Akbar Masood. In a major development in the matter the office of Lieutenant Governor, J&K ordered probe into the alleged large-scale financial irregularities in the varsity, especially in the bungling of Rs 12 Crore TEQIP project.
All such irregularities together with the alleged backdoor appointments of those who gained employment on the basis Distance degrees of off campus has put a question mark on its ivory tower image that need to be looked into by the LG adminstration,The learned vice chancellor and the members of the BGSBU Teachers Association (BUTA).
These irregularities call for an independent Higher education regulator in Jammu and Kashmir to end the nexus and save the ivory tower image of this seat of learning.
The establishment of independent regulatory commission is imperative to regulate the higher education institutions in Jammu and Kashmir. The J&K Government need to identify such loopholes to ensure accountability and transparency in the HEIs of the Jammu and Kashmir.
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