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Monday, Sep 20, 2004

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Technology institute staff to boycott work

By Our Special Correspondent

JAIPUR, SEPT. 19. Teachers in the Malviya National Institute of Technology (MNIT) here have decided to boycott the academic work from tomorrow to protest against the "dictatorial attitude'' of the institute's Director, A.K. Jain, who they claim has caused irreparable damage to the prestigious institution of engineering education.

The teachers and non-teaching, technical and subordinate staff of MNIT have launched an agitation for the past one month demanding immediate removal of Dr. Jain, while alleging that the statutory bodies and institutions had become non-functional and the institute was losing its strong potential and capacity under his leadership.

The MNIT campus witnessed violence over the week-end, when the students ransacked the tents and a podium put up by the agitating staff for staging dharna. The general secretary of the Teachers' Association, S.K. Gupta, alleged that the Director had instigated the students against the staff taking advantage of a conflict between two sections of hostellers.

Police -- deployed in the campus to maintain law and order -- used force to disperse the protesters who have been picketing Dr. Jain's residence everyday demanding his resignation. The violence and police action seem to have widened the rift between the Director and the staff, with the former asking for police protection. The faculty members are especially peeved about the alleged irregularities in the implementation of the career advancement scheme, while accusing Dr. Jain of distorting the norms to their disadvantage. "The waiving of doctorate degree for benefiting the Director's favourite candidates is illegal,'' Dr. Gupta said, while pointing out that about 50 teachers, who were denied promotion, had already moved the Rajasthan High Court.

The Joint Coordination Committee of the MNIT staff has released a "chargesheet'' against Dr. Jain, accusing him of showing contemptuous attitude towards people, minimising the facilities to employees, indulging in vindictive actions, showing administrative incompetence, tampering with systems and violating norms, and indulging in financial irregularities.

Dr. Jain, when contacted by The Hindu refuted all the allegations levelled against him as "absurd and baseless'' and said he wanted the institute to function normally. On the call for his ouster, Dr. Jain said making a demand was the "democratic right'' of the staff, but pointed out that the students were satisfied with him.

While the staff have alleged that Dr. Jain was resorting to repressive measures to crush the agitation, the teachers have sent a representation -- signed in blood -- to the Union Minister for Human Resource Development, Arjun Singh, demanding his expulsion. The faculty members have also resigned from additional responsibilities of head, dean, advisor and convenor of committees.

The MNIT came into being as a premier institution of engineering education here in June 2002 following the upgradation of the then Malviya Regional Engineering College. It was also granted the status of a deemed university the same year. Dr. Jain was appointed as the institute's Director in May 2003 and has completed 16 months of his tenure.

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