Adikavi Nannaya University cracks whip against 5 faculty members

Rajamahendravaram: Adikavi Nannaya University (AKNU) has cracked the whip against five faculty members who are working in various capacities in the university since its inception.

The action was taken against them for providing wrong information, including submitting of inadequate experience certificates etc at the time of interviews conducted by the university. Though there are eight others, the university executive council set them aside stating that their lapses need not attract any action.

Speaking to The Hans India here on Monday, Vice-Chancellor professor Murru Mutyala Naidu said that five increments were stalled to Dr A Matta Reddy working as an associate professor in University College of Science and Technology, five increments were stalled to M Kamala Kumari working as associate professor, three increments each stopped to Dr V Persis working as associate professor, Dr P Suresh Varma working as a professor and Dr Venkateswara Rao working as associate professor in University College of Engineering.

University executive council took the decision at its meeting held on October 31, 2017. As per its directions the action was taken against them and the appointments were made between 2006 and 2009.

AP State Human Rights Forum president and noted advocate Muppalla Subba Rao said that all the information about the irregularities and violation of rules was obtained through RTI from the university. The government constituted a two-member committee headed by professor N Satyanarayana and professor R Ramakrishna Reddy which identified many lapses and irregularities in appointing the faculty and also stated that all the faculty staff appointments were not in accordance with UGC and AICTE norms and recommended for proper action against them.

But, former Vice-Chancellor Professor George Victor constituted a five-member committee in March 2013, asking them to enquire and submit them a report on the allegations levelled against 13 faculty members and the committee submitted a report confirming the appointments were made against rules. Again in the month of November 2015, the executive council appointed a retired High Court judge Justice A Gopala Rao asking him to give his opinion on the recommendations of two-member committee.

Meanwhile, the High Court directed the university in December 2014, to take action against the faculty members within six months but no action was taken by the university. So far the university paid crores of rupees towards salaries etc to the faculty members. Muppalla wondered why the university failed to take action against the faculty members.

Appointing a five-member committee as well as asking Justice A Gopala Rao for his opinion on government appointed two-member committee was nothing but to favour faculty members, he alleged. Muppalla Subba Rao demanded that the government should order a judicial enquiry into the entire episode and asked why the university set aside the issues pertaining to remaining eight members. The university has no right to speak about ethics, he added.