After the vice-chancellor and registrar of Indian Maritime University (IMU) resigned in quick succession, following allegations of malpractices in recruitment of 30 new teachers, a senior independent member of the executive council of the University quit last week, citing problems with the institute.
The matter first came to light when newly-recruited faculty members complained of non-payment of salaries over six months. A series of inspections into the matter followed, and the executive committee, which comprises James Joseph as an independent member, and a few other officials from the ministry of shipping, gave a clean chit to the former V-C.
The secretary of the ministry of shipping, P.K. Sinha, himself reviewed the recruitment and had said there were no irregularities in the process.
In his resignation letter to President Pranab Mukherjee, James Joseph, said IMU had been ‘drifting aimlessly in the absence of even a semblance of visionary leadership.’
He also said the former V-C, G. Raghuram, had tried to fill up a number of vacant teaching positions to improve the quality of teaching at the institute. But ever since he resigned, the executive council had spent all its time on finding faults with his recruitment.
Mr. Joseph said the executive council had asked him to comment on the observations made by the enquiry committee appointed by the ministry but his report was completely ignored.
Mr. Joseph said students were suffering because of the lack of proper coaching and placements too had taken a hit resulting in diminishing intake of students. But officials of the ministry were completely oblivious of the happenings on campus, he wrote in his letter.
An IMU official, however, said they were not aware of Mr. Joseph’s resignation, and the allegations were false.
