TURA: A Right To Information report has indicated that the then Union minister for Human Resource Development, Smriti Irani, allegedly had a hand in the appointment of the NEHU Vice Chancellor Prof. S K Srivastava as documents reveal of her giving a recommendation that clearly violated existing rules in regards to appointment of VCs which is normally done by the President of India, who happens to be the visitor of the university.
The standing norms clearly state that a selection committee comprising three individuals, one of whom is nominated by the President, and the other two by the executive council, picks the head of the university while the role of the Human Resources Ministry is limited to delivering information of the selection process to the President.
The RTI has shown that over 100 applicants applied for the NEHU VC post and five candidates were shortlisted for the job.
Among the five, Prof. S K Srivastava was selected ahead of Prof. L K Jha, Prof. R H D Lyngdoh, Prof. D Sakthisekharan and Prof. G D Sharma.
What stood out in the selection process, reveal the RTI, is a file noting sent by then union minister Smriti Irani to the President of India stating that ‘Prof. Srivastava may be considered for the position’, indicating there perhaps was a manipulation in the selection process by the minister to favour a particular candidate. Prof. Srivastava was ultimately selected as the new NEHU VC.
One of the aspirants to the post, Prof. L K Jha has, in the meantime, registered a complaint with the new President of India Ram Nath Kovind.
In his petition to President Kovind last month, Prof. Jha stated that he was overlooked for the post even though he was the first on the selection list. He has sought a cancellation of the appointment.
