Non-teaching staff of Bharathiar University staged a protest on the campus on Monday demanding a probe into what they termed as irregularities committed by Vice-Chancellor G. James Pitchai.
The protestors said that the first of their charges against the VC and the administration was that the University had inked an agreement appointing a private agency as national coordinator for spreading its distance education courses in such a way that it would incur losses.
There was no need for a national coordinator for distance courses and the University should annul the agreement.
The second of their charges that a person not connected the University had on August 1 taken 150 tonnes of answer scripts without paying necessary charges. The person’s action was not just condemnable but needed a thorough probe. The State Government should launch a probe and act against those who had a role in the smuggling of the paper.
The protestors said that their next charge was the University administration had floated tender for men’s and women’s toilets that were constructed near the administrative block. How could the administration float tenders for works that had been completed.
This, again, was in violation of rules, they alleged.
The protestors said they wanted a white paper on the University’s finances and the administration should clear doubts raised by the staff.
The non-teaching staff said that they were also against the University administration appointing those contract drivers who had fewer years of experience. The demand was for making permanent those daily wagers and contract workers who had worked for long years for the University.
They sought stoppage of “unnecessary” works under way in the University. Without the approval of the finance committee, the University administration had taken up road, pathway and building construction and street light erection in a shoddy manner and in places where no requirement arose. Therefore, there should be a thorough probe, they demanded.
They promised to continue their protests if the demands were not met.
