Jaipur: Governor Kalraj Mishra’s decision to stay the ongoing recruitment process at Harideo Joshi University (HJU) of Journalism and Mass Communication on Monday has courted controversy in the political circles.
Reacting to the letter dated January 20, 2022, by the former education minister Vasudev Devnani objecting to the recruitment process initiated by the HJU VC Om Thanvi at the fag end of his tenure, Mishra issued the order to suspend the recruitment process citing no reason other than referring a letter by Devnani.
Devnani contended that it’s a practice that outgoing VC cannot take any major policy decision in the remaining last three months of his tenure. Thanvi’s tenure of three years is getting over on March 8. The recruitment process was advertised on the university website on December 4 and the last date to apply for various teaching posts was February 2. Devnani’s letter also accused Thanvi of violating the existing reservation system in recruitment and altering the UGC norms for recruitment.
Expert says that no rule book or statutes have the provision that the outgoing VC cannot initiate recruitments or take any policy decisions. “Other than some advisories issued by the competent authority, UGC has directed the VCs to not take any policy decision at the fag end of their tenure. The advisory is subjected to any suspicion, complaint or evidence suggesting a clash of interest involving the VC,” said an official.
Advisor to CM and independent MLA Sanyam Lodha took to Twitter to express his disagreement over governor’s move. “The right to stay the recruitment process of HJU is mentioned in which act? If a chancellor (governor) can appoint a vice-chancellor in the remaining one month of their tenure, in the same spirit can a VC not discharge his duties?” Lodha tweeted.
