Press Release, Tuesday, 21 January 2014

VC USURPS POWERS OF EC TO MAKE APPOINTMENTS

The DUTA condemns in strongest terms the blatant manner in which the Vice-Chancellor has usurped the powers of the Executive Council by granting himself an all-time authorization to approve appointments of Faculty and other group A Officers. The Executive Council is the highest decision making body of the University and has the right to discharge the powers/responsibilities which are vested in it vide Statutes 6 and 19 and these powers/ responsibilities cannot be delegated. Hence, the decision taken in the meeting today is in serious contravention of the Statutes of the University. That the meeting in which such a decision was taken was convened with less than a day’s notice reveals the VC’s absolute disdain towards the Acts, Statutes and Ordinances which have been enacted for proper governance of the Institution. The DUTA believes that this is yet another example of the high handed and autocratic functioning of the Vice-Chancellor who has once again appropriated the powers of the statutory bodies of the University even on matters not of urgent nature. It was reported in the DUTA Executive meeting today, that the Elected Teacher Representative, Dr. Abha Dev Habib, and the Chancellor’s Nominee, Mr. Javid Choudhry, gave their dissent on the decision.

The practice of opening the sealed envelopes containing recommendations of the Selection Committees in the Executive Council meeting ensured that the E.C. played its statutory role to oversee the following of due procedures regarding list of interviewees, composition of Selection Committee in a transparent manner. The quality of recruitment of University appointed teachers, reinforced by proper observance of these safeguards, determines the quality of academic leadership of the University, which affects all aspects of functioning of the University for a long time to come.

The DUTA appeals to the Visitor who should immediately intervene to ensure that the Act, Statutes and Ordinances of the University are upheld and the sanctity of the statutory bodies are restored. The DUTA hopes that the Hon’ble President and Visitor of the University intervenes so that the democratic norms and practices established in this premier university of the country are not undermined in such a flagrant way by the autocratic Vice-Chancellor today.

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