Sunday, July 21, 2019

RTI info: VNSGU VC charged twice for irregularities

TNN | Jul 18, 2019, 04.11 AM IST

Surat: Latest revelations about Veer Narmad South Gujarat University (VNSGU) vice-chancellor, Shivendra Gupta, in replies to a Right to Information (RTI) application created ripples in the higher education fraternity in state.

Information received under RTI shows that Gupta was charge-sheeted twice for irregularities during his posting as an assistant engineer in the road and building department. Gupta was charge-sheeted for his unauthorized leaves of 1,038 days between 2002 to 2005. He also faced inquiry for alleged financial and operational irregularities.

RTI applicant Ajit Naik, a retired professor of a college affiliated to VNSGU, had earlier alleged that out of his service of 28 years, Gupta had remained on leave for around eight years. The RTI query also revealed that Gupta who joined R&B department as assistant engineer in 1980 remained on the same post till he took voluntary retirement in 2008. Naik demanded the details as per the service book of Gupta.

Apart from the latest revelations, qualification of Gupta, who was appointed as VNSGU VC in August 2017, are also being questioned. VNSGU did not reply to Naik’s queries about Gupta’s qualification and certificates to support it. Gupta claims he possess PhD in history and has vast teaching experience.

As per University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines, a VC should possess at least 10 years of teaching experience apart from being a PhD scholar.

“Gupta was facing inquiry during his job in R&B department and to avoid facing the probe, he remained on long unauthorized leaves. He was charge sheeted twice and punished for the irregularities,” claimed Naik. Naik has already approached the Gujarat High Court challenging Gupta’s appointment.

Praful Desai, a resident from Vadodara, has also approached the high court challenging Gupta’s appointment. The HC is hearing petition of both Desai and Naik jointly.

Despite several attempts, Gupta was not available for his comments.

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