PROF. WHO HELPED MINISTER’S KIN, IN RACE FOR KU VC SRINAGAR: The appointment of Vice-Chancellor Kashmir University has turned into a political battle with National Conference (NC) backing a ‘tainted’ official for the coveted post .The same official had helped one of NC minister’s close relatives in securing their admission at the varsity through “illegal” means. While as, another short listed candidate for the coveted post has a strong political backing and is a close relative of senior Congress leader of the State. The search committee led by Professor Goverdhan Mehta, National Research Professor at the School of Chemistry, University of Hyderabad along with two other professors A M Pathan former Vice-Chancellor of Maulana Azad National Urdu University ( MANUU) and Professor M.M Solanki renowned professor of chemistry has short listed 11 candidates for the coveted post including five professors from the Valley. Acting vice-chancellor Prof AM Shah and Dean College Development Council Prof G Mustafa Shah are the front runners for the coveted post for which the announcement will be made very shortly. Sources said that an expert search committee has already invited eleven aspirants including six professors from outside the State for an interaction on August 23. Prof A M Shah-interim VC, Prof Mustafa Shah-Dean College Development Council, Prof Javaid Sheikh, Prof Khurshid Andrabi and Prof Neelofar Khan (DSW) & Home Sciences, are the five aspirants who have been called for an interaction by the expert committee constituted by the Governor. The search committee will propose a shortlist of three aspirants that will be forwarded to the Governor who is also the chancellor of the Kashmir University and in consultation with Chief Minister will select one out of the three for the position of Vice-Chancellor. Prof A M Shah is a close relative of a senior Congress leader while as Prof G Mustafa Shah had helped a senior NC minister in getting admission of his daughter and a close relative in PG course in Zoology department in 2009. During year 2009 the then Head of Department (HoD) of Zoology Prof G Mustafa Shah was able to secure two “illegal” admissions of a senior ruling National Conference minister when Prof Riyaz Punjabi was the vice-chancellor of the varsity. Following this, he was promoted as Dean College Development Council. According to the document, a copy of which lies with The Kashmir Monitor revealed that Yasmin Ali daughter of Ali Mohammad was figuring at serial number 99 in the list of candidates applying for admission in PG course in Zoology Department and she had obtained a total of 31.67 points out of 100, whereas the cut off merit in the category was 61. In this regard an arbitrary order was issued from the university administration under number F (PG Admission-2009) DAA/09 dated May 22, 2009 through Assistant Registrar by Vice-Chancellor as a special case without considering the merit. There were at least 32 candidates, according to the documents, who were getting higher merit than the daughter of the minister, but still she was admitted by the HoD (Prof G Mustafa Shah at the behest of the minister while violating all norms. Official sources said that the candidate had been admitted under payment seat quota whereas there were only four seats reserved for in-service teachers and there was no payment seat quota reserved for in-service teachers, which was another violation of the status. Sources said the candidate was granted admission under Payment Seat Quota and was to deposit Rs 1.5 lakh. “She has not even deposited the money thus putting the exchequer to a loss without any reason,” they said. Another candidate, Rehana Nabi daughter of Ghulam Nabi, who is also a close relative of the minister, was figuring at serial number 391 with a total of 53.63 points whereas the cut off merit was 66.39. An arbitrary order was issued from the administration, dated May 5, 2009 under number F (PG Adm PS) DAA/KU/09 was used for getting admission of the relative of the minister through the HoD, although at least seven candidates were getting higher merit than the admitted candidate. The arbitrary order copy reads: “If she is otherwise eligible” and in both cases the candidates were not eligible, but without determining the eligibility the candidate were admitted to Post Graduate course by the HoD Zoology, who is now front runner for the coveted post of the varsity as some NC leaders are “backing” him. “He has misused his official position in the past still his name has been shortlisted to head the prestigious varsity as he has some strong political backing,” a senior official of Kashmir University said. Sources said Shah had also been indicted in a fraud admission after an enquiry headed by Prof A G Madhosh found him guilty. They also said Prof G Mustafa Shah’s name also figured in the last year B Ed fake admission scam, following which former VC Prof Talat Ahmad cancelled all the admissions. Prof A M Shah-interim VC, who is also the front runner for the post, has a strong political backing and is a close relative of Congress leader. Official sources said the interim VC was also using his political pressure for securing this coveted position.
Posted on: Thu, 21 Aug 2014 08:03:39 +0000
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