Telangana varsity power spat reaches Raj Bhavan

Hyderabad: The tug of war between the Telangana University Vice-Chancellor, Prof Ravindra Gupta and the Executive Council-appointed Registrar, Prof Yadgiri, reached the Chancellor and State Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan on Monday.

A delegation led by Prof Vidayasagar and BJP leaders from Nizamabad met the Chancellor and submitted a representation seeking an enquiry listing out several alleged irregularities committed by the VC.

The representation pointed out how the VC had appointed daily wage workers making false promises to regularise their services. The appointments were made without following the norms, and recently the daily wage workers staged a protest that has brought disrepute to the university. The delegation alleged that the VC had conducted an international seminar in a private hotel spending huge sums. But none of the students from the university attended it. Irregularities in the purchase of laptops, computers and other issues reportedly caused financial irregularities. Earlier, the VC had appointed teaching staff without obtaining the necessary approval. The State government had cancelled the appointments warning him against repeating such mistakes.

The delegation alleged the VC continued floating the norms without conducting the Executive Council meeting for the past 18 months.

The Chancellor was told that Section 15(1) of the University Act empowers the VC to appoint a registrar as an interim measure until the EC meeting is convened and approved by it within 3 months of such appointments. To circumvent the same, the VC has appointed three registrars in the last two years, extending their office at the end of every three months, they added.

Listing out the issues the university is facing include: the construction of a new girls' hostel with a capacity of 500 students, the construction of an auditorium, renovation of the ground with all necessary facilities in the sports department, starting new courses, indoor gym in the university hostels, placements drives for the outgoing students and all the more shortage of qualified faculty and staff.

When contacted, the State Education Secretary Vakati Karuna told The Hans India that the issue is in the State government's notice and appropriate action will be taken.