Resentment is brewing among the candidates against the Kashmir University (KU) authorities for delaying the selection of Assistant Professors on contract basis in the Law department of the varsity.
A group of candidates complained to this newspaper that the University authorities were delaying the selection of the assistant professors despite the file being forwarded by the selection committee to the Dean Academics of the Kashmir University.
“The selection committee of the department of law in KU conducted the interview of the candidates on March 25 for appointment of contractual Assistant professors. The selection list finalized by the committee was forwarded to the concerned dean academics of the University,” a candidate said.
The aspirant however alleged that the selection list forwarded to the Dean Academics was not being acted upon deliberately to benefit some previously favourable appointees on the pattern as was done in 2019.
“In 2019, the interview of the candidates was held and selection list was made by the committee but result was not declared putting previously favourable appointees in an undue advantageous situation at the cost of merit by allowing the appointees to continue via back door,” the aspirant alleged.
The aspirants said the selection and interview process has turned redundant and a mockery of the norms of the fair selection process.
“The selection process for appointment of contractual assistant professors by other departments of the university has already been finalized and results were declared as well,” the aspirant said.
The candidates said they were apprehensive of biased and unfair selection given the delay by the University in declaring the result.
“There seems to be an apprehension of some nexus between some concerned officers who are flouting the norms of appointment in the present case for favoring some favorites,” the aspirants said.
They said the authorities are reportedly mulling to re-advertise the posts which will mar the career of candidates.
“In these circumstances the career of deserving candidates is being marred for biased reasons and interests which amount to abuse of administrative powers,” the aggrieved aspirants said.
The candidates demanded that the orders should be issued for declaring the result of the selection committee forwarded to the Dean Academics of the KU in order to safeguard the career of deserving and well qualified candidates.
“It will hold the dignity of the institution. Action should be taken against the officials involved in nepotism,” the aspirants said.
Dean Academic Affairs KU, Prof. Shabir Ahmad Bhat when contacted ruled out any chance to re-advertise the post.
“Once the list has come from a selection committee, there is no chance to re-advertise the post,” he said.
The dean academic affairs said the final selection of candidates was not pending only for the law department but for other departments as well.
“There are some departments where the selection list has been issued and in some departments it is not yet issued. Even some departments have not conducted the interviews so far,” he said.
Prof. Shabir Bhat said the selection is under process but got delayed due to the prevailing COVId-19 pandemic.
“The University was also closed for a prolonged period due to COVID-19. But we are now coming to the university and things under process,” he said.
He said in some cases the department has projected more posts than the sanctioned strength.
“So we have to find out the source where the salary and other things can be managed. We are at it and will finalise the process in the shortest possible time,” he said.