Autonomy of Sikkim State University was taken away by the 2017 Amendment: VC

PANKAJ DHUNGEL
GANGTOK: The Sikkim State University Act is set for a second amendment in the Assembly this March proposing more autonomy to the State university.
Meanwhile, Sikkim State University (SSU) vice chancellor G.K. Niroula has questioned why full autonomy was not given to the institute so far. “Why full autonomy was not given to the university, the logic behind it is not understood. In general, all universities are autonomous,” he said to SIKKIM EXPRESS.
Prof. Niroula said the 2017 Sikkim State University (SSU) amendment Act had taken away the autonomy of the SSU. “The VC was stripped off his executive powers such as selection of faculties and non-teaching faculties and therewith taking away the autonomy of the University. The Education department has been controlling the functioning of SSU where ‘minimum but separate budgetary provision’ was not provided leading to the suffering of the students and the deplorable condition of the university premises,” he said.
“The only reason the students highlighted the issue of the university vide a press conference on February 27 without the notice of the university, was because despite having almost completed their post-graduation course, they do not feel secured. The Education department at its will hires faculties and non-teaching staffs and takes them away just as easily. The power and the autonomy of the university have been taken away and the VC is a mere statue figure,” said Prof. Niroula.
The vice chancellor also commented on the recent statements of Education additional chief secretary regarding the issues surrounding the SSU including autonomy in its functioning.
“When the Additional Chief Secretary mentions that autonomy will be given and yet he still asserts that non-teaching faculties will be transferred or recruited by the Education department only, the autonomy will not be completed. The Clause 6 of the University Act 2003 and its removal in the amendment with powers for selection of faculties and non-faculties will once again be taken away from the university, further posing a hindrance to the growth of the university. The partly appointment by the department doesn’t seem logical when Clause 6 is removed in the amendment. This will create a conflict between the academicians and administrative wing of SSU,” contended Prof. Niroula.
In July 2020, 46 students of SSU from the only two existing departments of Nepali and Sanskrit are set to be the first batch of alumni who have been taught by the hired guest faculties. “In the 2017 amendment, Clause 6 involving appointment of teaching and non-teaching staffs was removed and as such, the vice chancellor cannot exercise the power of governing the university.  The amendment was brought just a year before the vice chancellor was appointed and the university was started,” he stated.
The vice chancellor claimed that he made repeated attempts for recruiting regular faculties for the university with the latest being on February 25.
The proposal sent to the Education department by the SSU vice chancellor mentions, "The first Executive Council in its meeting held on May 9, 2019 followed by list of Subject Experts Nominee approved by Honourable Chancellor, university is all set to conduct the interview for the regular recruitment of faculties as per the UGC norms within the first week of March 2020…. It is critical to inform the Education Department that recruitment process was unnecessarily delayed for not having budgetary provision of university to meet the salary of faculties and other logistic expenses being involved in the recruitment process despite approval from HRDD and EC sometime in 2019 although budgetary requirement of the university for 2019-20 was submitted well in advance to the Education Department".
“With the establishment of Sikkim State University, there should be a budget that should be allocated separately. When it is passed in the Assembly, it should directly go to the University account, the Vice Chancellor must make use of the budget for the development of the University on a priority basis", stated the vice chancellor.
“In 2018-19, Rs. 45 lakh was received by the university followed by Rs. 20 lakhs in 2019-20. The same fund has been used for setting up minimum requirement of the university office, purchase of computers, furniture, some salary part of staffs and faculties and purchase of vehicles,” said Niroula. However, no fund was allocated so far from Rashtriya Uchatar Shiksha Abhiyaan as earlier mentioned by the additional chief secretary, he said.
On the affiliation of 12 government colleges of the State to the Sikkim State University, the vice chancellor asserted that the same could have been done without any budgetary allocation. “If they would have issued a notification from the government, it could have been done with relative ease with the appointment of full-fledged controller of examination. Thus, securing a better position for the Sikkim State University as the only State funded university of Sikkim,” he maintained.