Guv moves to clean up nepotism in agri varsities

So far,these four universities had a free hand in recruitment.

The ordinance that came into effect on October 24 states the Governor is satisfied that circumstances exist which render it necessary for him to take immediate action to amend the Maharashtra Agricultural Universities Act,1983,to include the creation of a single separate recruitment board for all the four state-run agricultural universities,namely Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth at Parbhani,Dr Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth at Dapoli,Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth at Akola and Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth in Rahuri.

Together,the four varsities have an annual output of 11,000 undergraduates,post-graduates and doctorate students every year.

The recruitment board will be headed by a non-political person with a background in agriculture sciences and he or she will be nominated by the Governor. The board will consist of chairman to be appointed by chairman of the State Council,V-C of the university concerned,one non-official member,two experts to be nominated by Governor and two representatives of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.

The idea for creation of such a board was put forth by the agriculture minister.

In January this year,Tukaram More,the V-C of Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth (MPKV),was indicted in a report submitted by the director general of MCAER. In August last year,the state government had ordered an inquiry after it emerged that in the exam conducted from February 22 to 24 last year for the post of 36 junior research assistants,relatives of the vice-chancellor’s own staff passed with flying colours. The son of the deputy registrar and the wife of a technical officer of the university were appointed to the post by More.

According to officials from the agricultural department,question papers for the exam were allegedly set by professors whose children also took the exam.