TRIBUNE SPECIAL No principles here, fate of first rural college in peril Kanchan Vasdev Tribune News Service Mahilpur (Hoshiarpur), September 12 The future of the first rural college of the state and its 3,000 students is under threat with the Panjab University Syndicate taking up an inquiry report that states Sri Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa College, Mahilpur, is an ‘institution with buildings, furniture but no academic feature’, and thus not fit for affiliation. Also known as Asia’s nursery of soccer and the running champion of PU A Division Football for 20 years, the legendary co-education college has been brought to this pass by the machinations of one man, its Principal, Surjit Singh Randhawa. The man has successfully survived at least half a dozen indictments in various inquiries over a decade, including on the charges of fraud, forgery and embezzlement. The latest jolt came, ironically, after the college sought the status of an autonomous college from PU, and when denied, moved the High Court. The High Court has issued notices to various respondents, but refused to allow the college to begin admissions as an autonomous institute. A PU inquiry conducted by a committee constituted by the Vice-Chancellor on July 17 following High Court orders found that the college was not fit even for simple affiliation from the university. Led by PU Registrar Prof AK Bhandari, the seven-member panel observed that the institute was “all buildings, furniture and grounds with no academic features; teachers are inadequately equipped in their qualifications, experience and knowledge of the respective subjects.” Regarding the faculty, it noted that the basic eligibility and qualifications of the teachers was in doubt. “The college is applying for autonomous status only as to avoid scrutiny by the university,” it added. “Most of the teachers were ad hoc and under-qualified. Some were shown to be on the rolls of the college but actually were teaching in a school (being run on the premises),” the panel said, adding “Ad hoc teachers, who are required to be paid a minimum salary of Rs 25,800 per month, are being paid as low as 10,000, which is less than the salary of a peon in the college.” A glorious past Sri Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa College, Mahilpur, had in its history of over six decades earned much respect in sports, often referred to as the football nursery of Asia. Legendary footballer Jarnail Singh (Arjuna Awadee) and Gurdev Singh Gill (Arjuna Awadee) were the glorious products of this college. The football team (men) of the college has been winning the Panjab University A Division Football Championship for the past 20 years. The women’s team too had won the championship. INQUIRIES TILL DATE False date of birth A PU inquiry conducted by Justice SK Jain (retd), dated March 10, 2004, indicted Principal Randhawa for dishonestly and fraudulently changing his date of birth from April 2, 1954, to May 17, 1965, and using it for personal purposes such as seeking NCC commission, two passports and PAN card. Justice Jain stated: “The denial on the part of Surjit Singh Randhawa is nothing but a white lie and is meaningless.” Two salaries Krishan Kumar, then Director-General, Punjab School Education, had held Randhawa guilty of drawing salary from 1990 to 2002 as a Punjabi teacher on the rolls of Government Middle School, Mahima Chak, and producing an experience certificate as lecturer for the same period at SGGS Khalsa College, Mahilpur, to get appointment as Principal in the college in 2002. Randhawa had been drawing salary from two places. Fake gen secy A PU Inspection Committee in a report dated July 19, 2013, found Randhawa had bypassed the College Management Committee to apply for autonomous status for the college on the basis of a ‘fabricated document’, signed by Ajit Singh, an office Superintendent, showing him ‘maliciously’ as general secretary of College Management. Dr Jangbahadur Singh was the actual general secretary, with whom the committee had interacted. Observing ‘serious deficiencies, in the functioning of the college, the committee ‘strongly recommended’ that autonomous status not be granted to the college. Fake teachers A VK Sibbal Report, accepted by the PU Syndicate on August 13, 2013, found Randhawa got recognition to start an MPEd College on the basis of fabricated documents relating to the faculty. One Dr Daljinder Singh, shown appointed as Reader, submitted in writing that he had never appeared before a selection committee nor ever visited the college. Appointments of three other teachers, Pritam Singh, Swinder Singh and Gurmej Singh, were also bogus. So much so, photos of Avtar Singh, Ajit Singh and Sardool Singh, respectively, had been pasted on their appointment letters. Quick gun The then SP, Una (HP), in a letter dated June 17, 2006, had sought the help of the PU Vice-Chancellor and Hoshiarpur SP to secure the arrest of Randhawa, who had been booked in a criminal case registered at Haroli, Una, on the charge of firing shots at a check post at Ajauli. Randhawa was later bailed out in the case. Misappropriation The PU has also ordered a commission of inquiry headed by Justice Garg (retd) to probe three different complaints against Randhawa regarding misappropriation of UGC grants worth Rs 30 lakh, Rs 36.50 lakh and Rs 42.30 lakh. The inquiry is currently in progress. Mess in college management Same piece of land shown to seek affiliation for multiple colleges: The well developed campus - duly registered with Revenue Department - was shown as vacant and non-agricultural land in various affidavits, on the basis of which recognition was obtained from PU and NCTE, Jaipur, for starting a self-financed BEd college in 2006 and a Teacher Training Programme in BPEd in 2007, MPEd in 2008 and CPEd in 2009. As per norms, a separate campus is required for each college. The Principal purchased a luxury Skoda car for Rs 11.4 lakh in February, 2010, out of a UGC grant, withdrawn from the Principal’s account in Punjab National Bank at Mahilpur. As many as 17 employees and teachers who retired from the college have not been paid their full dues. Many are running from pillar to post to get what is their right. PRINCIPALSPEAK Principal Surjit Singh Randhawa, when contacted by The Tribune, defended all his actions. On autonomous status “The UGC has given us the status of an autonomous college. Why does PU have objections? Several members of the Syndicate want to settle scores with me because I belong to a rival group which is in minority now.” On college land The land belongs to the Sikh Education Council, Mahilpur [to which he has transferred college land]. It can do anything with the land. If we are expanding and getting more courses for students, why should anyone object? Moreover, only 135 kanal and 6 marlas of land was transferred to the council. The college has the rest of the land with it. On employees’ dues “We have paid all benefits to most of the employees. Some went to court and hence the payments were delayed.” On car from UGC money “Can’t we buy a car for the Principal of the college when the money is meant for the college? It is not a violation to have an account in the name of the Principal.” On date of birth “Why should the university have any problem with my date of birth? May employer may have an issue, which in my case is the Sikh Educational Council. They can retire me whenever they want to. My age would not matter in that case.” On courses not affiliated this year “PU has to conduct an inspection. They can come anytime and conduct it. The NCTE also has to conduct an inspection. We will accept their verdict.”
Posted on: Fri, 13 Sep 2013 16:30:48 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015