A probe committee formed under the University Grants Commission has prescribed ‘pills’ for the Biratnagar-based Purvanchal University, whose officials face corruption charges.

In its report submitted to the Education Ministry through the UGC after a monthlong investigation, the committee formed under UGC Member-Secretary Bhola Pokharel has recommended that the PU should stop granting affiliation to new colleges for five years. The move, it argued, will ensure proper management of the university and help it come clean on allegations that it has been facing.

UGC had formed the committee in the third week of July after local leaders of eight political parties demanded resignation of university officials, including Vice-Chancellor Maheshwor Man Shrestha, Registrar Niroj Panday, Deans Subha Narayan Pathak and Shyam Katuwal and Acting Registrar Shambhu Koirala, citing rampant corruption in the university. A probe committee member said on condition of anonymity that allegations against PU officials were not proven. He said the committee has recommended that the government form a special team comprising officials from the Office of the Auditor General and Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority for an in-depth investigation into charges of financial embezzlement and abuse of authority at the university.

He said the committee submitted the probe report to the UGC today, which submitted the same to the education minister later in the afternoon. PU officials face charges of misusing around Rs 150 million that UGC had provided under the Second Higher Education Project (SHEP). The committee could not prove the charges, he said, adding, “The PU could have drawn around Rs 162.5 million from UGC under SHEP. Due to a poor performance, it failed to do so.”

He added that the probe committee found some officials guilty. Since the university is an autonomous body and their appointment was in line with the law, neither the UGC nor the government cannot fire them, he said. “The government needs legal basis to throw them out.”

In a statement, the Education Ministry expressed hope that the university, an autonomous body, will be able to sort out internal matters on its own. It urged all concerned to stop their protests, sit for talks and address problems facing the university.

source: the himalayan times,20 August 2013