PU colleges get five new principals through lucky draw

Time of India

5 days ago

Patna: In an unprecedented move, five constituent colleges of Patna University (PU) on Wednesday got their new principals not on the basis of their merit or qualifications but through a lucky draw.
The new incumbents posted in different colleges of PU through a lottery draw include Nagendra Prasad Verma, a history teacher of Jai Prakash University, Chapra at Magadh Mahila College; Anil Kumar, a chemistry teacher from a UP college at Patna College; Alaka Yadav of Mahila College, Hajipur at Patna Science College and Magadh Mahila College home science teacher Suheli Mehta at Vanijya Mahavidyalay. The fifth candidate, Yogendra Kumar Varma of Patna Law College was posted as principal of the same college.
All the five incumbents were earlier selected as principals on the recommendation of the Bihar State University Service Commission (BSUSC) following consideration of their academic qualifications and interview. Ordinarily, the posting of a principal in a college is done by the vice-chancellor of the university concerned.
However, on the complaints of alleged foul play in posting of principals in some universities, governor-cum-chancellor Arif Mohammed Khan, ordered that the posing of BSUSC-recommended candidates would be done through a lottery system under the supervision of a three-member committee, headed by the vice-chancellor of the university concerned and consisting of the chancellor's representative.
A selected candidate had even challenged this order in the Patna high court, but withdrew the petition later.
In case of posting of principals in PU colleges, it was finalised by a three-member committee consisting of PU vice-chancellor
Ajay Kumar Singh
, registrar Shalini and chancellor's representative Rahmat Jahan. The notification of these postings would be issued in a day or two, said PU sources.
Some senior academics, however, maintained that the posting of principals in single faculty colleges should not have been done arbitrarily through lottery.
Otherwise, a teacher of home science would certainly face difficulties in managing an institution of commerce and how would a chemistry teacher administer an institution specialising in humanities and social sciences, they asked.
Notably, PU colleges will get principals recommended by the university service commission after a gap of about 15 years.
Patna: In an unprecedented move, five constituent colleges of Patna University (PU) on Wednesday got their new principals not on the basis of their merit or qualifications but through a lucky draw.
The new incumbents posted in different colleges of PU through a lottery draw include Nagendra Prasad Verma, a history teacher of Jai Prakash University, Chapra at Magadh Mahila College; Anil Kumar, a chemistry teacher from a UP college at Patna College; Alaka Yadav of Mahila College, Hajipur at Patna Science College and Magadh Mahila College home science teacher Suheli Mehta at Vanijya Mahavidyalay. The fifth candidate, Yogendra Kumar Varma of Patna Law College was posted as principal of the same college.
All the five incumbents were earlier selected as principals on the recommendation of the Bihar State University Service Commission (BSUSC) following consideration of their academic qualifications and interview. Ordinarily, the posting of a principal in a college is done by the vice-chancellor of the university concerned.
However, on the complaints of alleged foul play in posting of principals in some universities, governor-cum-chancellor Arif Mohammed Khan, ordered that the posing of BSUSC-recommended candidates would be done through a lottery system under the supervision of a three-member committee, headed by the vice-chancellor of the university concerned and consisting of the chancellor's representative.
A selected candidate had even challenged this order in the Patna high court, but withdrew the petition later.
In case of posting of principals in PU colleges, it was finalised by a three-member committee consisting of PU vice-chancellor Ajay Kumar Singh, registrar Shalini and chancellor's representative Rahmat Jahan. The notification of these postings would be issued in a day or two, said PU sources.
Some senior academics, however, maintained that the posting of principals in single faculty colleges should not have been done arbitrarily through lottery. Otherwise, a teacher of home science would certainly face difficulties in managing an institution of commerce and how would a chemistry teacher administer an institution specialising in humanities and social sciences, they asked.
Notably, PU colleges will get principals recommended by the university service commission after a gap of about 15 years.