A principal wait

A similar situation prevails in three other government arts and science colleges in the city. Between 2000 and 2003,principals of these four colleges retired. Now,almost a decade later,these colleges are functioning without a head.

“Due to non-finalisation of (the) seniority list,regular principals could not be appointed for about a decade,which is affecting the proper management of (these) reputed institutes. It is badly affecting the interests of students,” the Chandigarh Administration stated in its speaking order,released on March 18,in this regard.

Even after a decade,the seniority list is “in process”.

“We are in the process of finalising the candidates and have asked for their annual confidential reports. Then the list will be sent to the UPSC,” Director (higher education) Ajoy Sharma said. “We have considered the cases of those lecturers who don’t have PhD degrees in view of certain relaxations provided by the Ministry of Human Resource Development.”

After all these years,the Administration has cleared names of 12 lectures working in the four government arts and science colleges for the seniority list. But of these 12 lecturers,only six have a doctorate degree from a recognised university — a condition to be designated as a college principal.

It took UT more than three years to prepare this final seniority list of college lecturers. Now,the Administration has invited objections from college lecturers to these 12 names,which will further delay the process.

Earlier,a provisional seniority list was prepared on January 1,2007,and circulated among principals of all government colleges to file objections.

“A number of representations were received against the tentative seniority list and these representations involved complex issues,resolution of which might take some time,as digging up (the) old records is taking considerable time,” the speaking order state. “Also,resolution of certain issues will need some more rounds of hearing after the relevant record is dug out.”

The four lecturers working as principals in these colleges are not even officiating principals. One of them,Dr J S Raghu,a Sanskrit lecturer in Government College,Sector 46,said,“The four of us are appointed as lecturers,but are working as principals without any financial benefits a principal is entitled to. We take classes and then look after the administrative work.”

Students say they are at the receiving end of the delay. “Absence of a principal has deteriorated the functioning of the college. It has resulted in delay in taking important decisions,which could have been in the interest of students. Also,the normal functioning of the institute is affected,as the acting principal does not have any powers,” a BSc (IIIrd year) student of Government College for Girls,Sector 11,said.

Another student of Government College,Sector 46,said lecturers don’t “bother” to take classes. “The lecturers are hardly bothered to take classes or complete the syllabus. They (lecturers) know well that there is no higher authority to report to. And then the acting principal has no powers to question them,” the BA (IInd year) student said.

Headless

* Government College for Girls,Sector 42

Last principal: Vijaylaxmi

Acting principal: Mani Bedi,

English lecturer

* Government College for Girls,Sector 11

Last principal: Mohini Sharma

Acting principal: Achla Dogra,

Economics lecturer

* Post Graduate Government College,Sector 11

Last principal: Dr S N Singla

Acting principal: Dr Shyam Sunder,Hindi lecturer

* Government College,Sector 46

Last principal: D P Singh

Acting principal: Dr J S Raghu,Sanskrit lecturer

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