The Hindu : Karnataka News : Vice-Chancellor, Registrar lock horns in the open

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Sep 11, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Vice-Chancellor, Registrar lock horns in the open

Staff Correspondent

Spat was over relieving the university official of his duties

Shashidhar Prasad wants Ibrahim to be relieved of his duties
Registrar says only the Government can transfer him

MYSORE: The discord between Vice-Chancellor of the University of Mysore, J. Shashidhar Prasad, and Registrar (Evaluation), A.B. Ibrahim, came under full media glare when the two argued over the propriety of the Vice-Chancellor to relieve the Registrar of his duties.

At a press conference convened by Prof. Prasad on Monday to clarify the controversy arising out of a professor from Mumbai recommending award of a Ph.D. to a research scholar even without the university sending him copy of the thesis, Prof. Prasad and Mr. Ibrahim openly argued over the legality of a Vice-Chancellor to relieve the Registrar (Evaluation) of his duties.

When Prof. Prasad admitted that he had written to the Chief Secretary to relieve Mr. Ibrahim of his duties as Registrar (Evaluation), the presspersons sought to know from him the grounds on which he had sought the transfer of Mr. Ibrahim. However, Prof. Prasad refused to divulge the reasons.

But, when Prof. Prasad claimed that a Vice-Chancellor had the powers to relieve from duty a Registrar if he was found unsuitable for the job, Mr. Ibrahim intervened and clarified that he had been appointed by the Government.

“I have been appointed by the Government and only the Government can transfer me,” he said.

A visibly irritated Prof. Prasad, however, said that there had been instances where universities had relieved Registrars of their duties.

But, Mr. Ibrahim replied that there should be valid grounds for relieving Registrars of their duties.

Though the Government had refused to accept Prof. Prasad’s request for transfer of Mr. Ibrahim, the Vice-Chancellor said he could still relieve Registrar (Evaluation) by writing to the Governor, who is also the Chancellor of the university.

When presspersons asked Prof. Prasad if he would exercise the option of writing to the Governor seeking Mr. Ibrahim’s removal, the Vice-Chancellor sought to end the matter by stating that such matters need not be discussed at the press conference.

Prof. Prasad said he had appreciated Mr. Ibrahim’s role as Commissioner for Mysore City Corporation.

“But, he does not fit in the academic atmosphere of a university,” the Vice-Chancellor said.

Prof. Prasad’s and Mr. Ibrahim’s face-off comes in the wake of a letter written by the former to the Chief Secretary to relieve the latter of his duties and the Government’s reply stating that the officials should not be relieved till the DPAR passes an order.

In his letter dated August 31, Prof. Prasad brought to the notice of the Chief Secretary the letter he had written on May 11 to transfer Mr. Ibrahim and pointed out that the official’s attitude towards the university’s work had not changed significantly during the period.

‘No option’

“It is sad that I am left with no other option, but to relieve him from his duties effective from September 3, 2007”.

But, in a reply dated September 3, 2007, Additional Secretary, DPAR (Services), Tushar Girinath said, “It is advised that the officer should not be relieved till this office passes an order on this issue.”

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