The professors of Biratnagar-based Purbanchal University have warned of tendering their resignations en masse if the university officials failed to put in their papers.

A special assembly of Purbanchal University Teachers Association held on August 20, where 32 professors were present, had decided to resign from their profession if their demands were not met.

PU has been mired in politicisation and has been going through a rough patch for the past few months after its office was padlocked by local leaders of various political parties, students and professors. The officials whose resignation have been demanded are out of contact.

The local leaders, professors and students have demanded resignations of five top officials — Vice Chancellor Maheshwor Man Shrestha, Registrar Niroj Panday, Acting Registrar Shambhu Koirala and Deans Shubha Narayan Pathak and Shyam Katuwal.

Currently, 16 political parties in Biratnagar have been demanding resignations of all officials in the five-member executive council, while the professors have been demanding resignations of all those who were appointed in various posts by the university officials by misusing their authority. Dinesh Raj Subedi, president, PUTA, said that when the officials appointed by the government to manage the university were not capable of performing their assigned duties, they also could not work with them. “That’s why we have decided to tender our resignations. We have proof regarding these officials’ involvement in financial irregularities. Until and unless these officials are thrown out of the university, we are not going to stop our protest.”

As part of their protest, the professors have expressed their solidarity with padlocking of examination controller’s office which has remained closed for the past two weeks.

Meanwhile, a committee formed by the University Grants Commission to probe into the financial irregularities and other allegations against the PU officials has almost given the clean chits to the officials.

The four-member probe committee under the coordination of Bhola Pokharel, member secretary of UGC, had submitted the report to the education minister on August 20. The report has also recommended that the government and university hold talks with the agitating parties to sort out the problems.

The report had also sought the need of intervention by the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority and the Office of the Auditor General to deal with the financial embezzlement and the misuse of power by the authorities.

After receiving the report from UGC, the Ministry of Education had urged the university and the agitating parties to sort out the problems by holding talks, stating that the university was an autonomous and independent body and that it should sort out its problems on its own.

“The report has not been publicised. So we have enough room to doubt that something is wrong and the UGC and ministry officials don’t want to reveal it,” Subedi added. He made it clear that they were not going to hold talks with the university officials and demanded a high-level talks committee.

source: the himalayan times,22 August 2013