Vikrama Simhapuri University appoints general candidates in retired quota

Nellore: Scholars and students raised eyebrows on appointment of two guest lecturers in the Physical Education department of Vikrama Simhapuri University (VSU) in general category when the original recruitment was intended for appointing qualified retired personnel as Deputy Directors in the same department.

Beleaguered jobless, who were waiting for opportunities in the varsity, startled with surprise as two persons were recruited, who were neither experienced nor retired, from university/college service as required in the notification.

In fact, the VSU advertised in local vernacular newspapers in the last week of December 2016 inviting applications from the retired personnel for the two posts in the category of Deputy Director in the Physical Education department purely on contract basis. The VSU also included some engineer positions in the same advertisement.

Subsequently, the varsity had received applications from both retired personnel and others for the posts and the officials should have rejected applications from others as the advertisement was meant for retired persons only.

To the greatest surprise of the candidates, varsity suddenly appointed two candidates, who were among the list of applicants as guest faculty members in the second week of July this year. They were allotted to Kavali and varsity main campuses.

Infuriated candidates have sought information through the Right to Information Act, they came to know officials appointed two people refusing other retired personnel mentioning ‘since there are no suitable candidates for the posts of Deputy Director on contractual basis, the committee resolved to change the post to guest faculty in the department on contract basis’.

“The varsity should have given a corrigendum to the advertisement released earlier asking freshers can also apply for the posts. But, they hadn’t done it and don’t know the reason behind. They appointed their own candidates in the guise of this recruitment process meant for selecting retired personnel,” said Subhash Yadav, AP BC Student Association.

He also added that they had complained to the Chief Minister on the irregularity. When, Student Association approached the varsity through the RTI application, they mentioned simply that they had received 8 applications, selected two candidates’ Dr A Praveen Kumar and Ch Manikanta as guest faculty members changing the category from contractual position to guest faculty.

But, they failed to provide the details on when the change from retired to others was advertised and invited fresh applications when eligible retired persons were not available. Executive Committee approved the minutes of the change on December 1, 2016 and the selection committee also permitted on July 13, 2017 and the appointments were made without considering the mandatory norms of giving corrigendum, student union leaders alleged. “We have initially invited applications for the posts of Deputy Director in the Physical Education department and then appointed others when there were no eligible candidates in the category,” said Dr M Chandraiah, Registrar of VSU.

By P V Prasad