Audit finds discrepancies in increments to faculty 

Special Correspondent 
 
Chennai, May 16, 2018 00:00 IST
Govt. may recover benefits after a review of the cases

The State government may recover increments given to faculty members, following a report by the chief internal auditor of the Internal Auditor and Statutory Board.

In a letter to the Directorate of College Education, Higher Education Secretary Sunil Paliwal listed several GOs pertaining to the implementation of the career advancement scheme for the faculty and the discrepancies arising out of the various GOs issued earlier.

The letter states that certain “glaring violations have been pointed out by the chief internal auditor of the Internal Audit and Statutory Board in awarding increments based on the Ph.D subject. The auditor has said all such cases have to be reviewed completely, and wherever it is determined that the subject of Ph.D is not relevant, the increments awarded have to be cancelled and benefits already given, recovered.

Similarly, the department has been advised to conduct a special drive to rectify errors committed earlier and “effect recoveries in all such cases where benefits/higher pay have been wrongly drawn” and fix the grade pay of retired Grade 1 Principals.

The letter, dated May 14, cited earlier GOs issued during different times and pertained to the implementation of the career advancement scheme and pay variance between juniors and seniors. A retired professor and member of the Association of University Teachers said the earlier orders were issued with the concurrence of the officials in the department. That being the case, the government should initiate action against the officials.