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JDU minister who became assistant prof has appointment withheld by his own govt in Bihar
Bihar Minister Ashok Choudhary, 57, was one of 274 candidates to clear interview for political science professor last June. But his appointment is learnt to be withheld because he uses two variations of his name.
Bihar Minister Ashok Choudhary. (File)
Discrepancy over the name of Bihar Rural Works Department Minister Ashok Choudhary has led his own government to hold his appointment as assistant political science professor, The Indian Express has learnt.
Bihar Minister Ashok Choudhary, 57, was one of 274 candidates to clear interview for political science professor last June. The interview came five years after the Bihar State University Service Commission (BSUSC) first advertised the post.
According to sources, Choudhary was allotted Pataliputra University along with 17 other candidates but the process was withheld because he uses two names — Ashok Kumar in his educational certificates and Ashok Choudhary in his election affidavit.
Said a university service commission source: “The name discrepancy is the main reason for holding his appointment. We had gone by his educational certificates at time of initial scrutiny but final scrutiny shows two names.”
A higher education official said: “The matter of Ashok Choudhary is pending with the department for lack of some clarifications including name discrepancy.”
The other candidates except for Choudhary received appointment letters last month as part of the 4,000 new appointments made in 10 state universities.
On his part, Choudhary refused to comment saying he had “no idea”. But a senior Janata Dal (United) leader admitted it could be bad optics, saying: “First, a minister from the ruling party getting selected invited attack from Opposition as a conflict of interest. Now, the name discrepancy brings added embarrassment”.
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This comes at a time when the appointments are already drawing criticism. On December 15, the BSUSC issued approved college allotments for political science candidates, six months after the interviews. This came after several of the shortlisted candidates submitted detailed representation to the Chancellor – the governor, Arif Mohammed Khan—claiming the delay caused “immense anxiety, hardship and psychological trauma” given that the process had already stretched on for over five years.
First advertised in September 2020, the appointments were dogged by controversies over alleged fake experience certificates and research papers that led to multiple litigations, the selection process dragged on for nearly five years. The results were finally announced in June, and while candidates of other specialisations had already received their allotments, political science had seen a further delay.
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