By Danish Ahmad Khan
Dr. G.N. Qazi, the Vice Chancellor of Hamdard University (Jamia Hamdard), seems to have developed the bad habit of breaking rules. He has gathered cronies around him who advise and assure him that he has absolute powers and can even overrule the rules. They have filled his mind with the idea that the Vice Chancellor is authorized to do whatever he wants. Little he realizes that such advices normally come from incompetent persons whose sole purpose is to fool authorities with their flattery and curry favour from them. But it would be wrong to blame the cronies for the irregularities Dr. Qazi has committed. And the irregularities in appointments abound indeed. We cite a few examples below.
Jamia Hamdard published its advertisement No. 4/2010 in Indian Express dated May 18, 2010 seeking applications for the post of Director, Distance Education. In response the University received some applications. One candidate was Dr. A.A. Firdousi, who probably did not apply on the prescribed form, and instead sent his bio-data with a covering letter addressed to the Vice Chancellor. In response to a request made under RTI Act 2005, the University has given a form apparently filled up by Dr. Firdousi. The form requires candidates to mention the relevant advertisement number, the post applied for and give the details of draft attached with the application. But Dr. Firdousi has not given these details. Also from the details given in the form, it appears that he has been a poor student and researcher. He has only five research papers and four articles to his credit. There is no details of journals in which his articles and research papers were published.
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The selection committee to interview the candidates was held on 16-08-2010. Six candidates were interviewed and one i.e. Dr. Firdousi was considered in absentia.
The members of the selection committee were Prof. S.A.A. Zaidi (Chancellor’s nominee), Prof. Siddiq Wahid, Prof. Muhammad Mian and Dr. Latha Pillai – all experts. The selection committee was presided over by Dr. G.N. Qazi and it made two recommendations: a certain Dr. Sanjay Mishra was appointed on the post of Director, Distance Learning for which the interview was held. Strangely the committee considered Dr. A.A. Firdousi in absentia for the post of Professor in Coaching Academy and recommended his selection for the same.
Obviously Dr. Firdousi had not applied for the post on which he was being appointed. Next, the experts were not called to interview candidates for the position of Professor in Coaching Academy. It is also not clear if any advertisement was published in newspapers seeking applications for the post of Professor in Coaching Academy. If the appointment has been made without advertisement, it amounts to denying the people of India the right to equal opportunity, a fundamental right in our constitution.
Dr. Firdousi’s appointment in contravention of rules is not an exception. In fact, the G.N. Qazi administration seems to have developed the bad habit of violating rules while making appointments. Another example is that of Dr. Ravichandran.
The Times of India (Ascent) carried out an advertisement (No. 10/2009) by Jamia Hamdard on June 10,2009. Applications were sought for a post of Professor in Health Management along with other positions. Dr. Ravichandran applied for the post, though he did not have any degree in Health Management. He holds Masters in Math and Population Science and M.Phil and PhD in Social Sciences.
Information provided by Jamia Hamdard in response to RTI applications shows Dr. Ravichandran possessing PhD and M Phil in Health Science while copies of his degrees available with Indian Muslim Observer prove beyond doubt that he obtained these degrees in social sciences.
From the record available with the Indian Muslim Observer it appears that Dr. Ravichandran made contradictory claims about his work experience. For instance he claims to have worked at Indian Institute of Management and Research, Jaipur from June 2006 to December 2009. Then he also claims to have worked at international institute of Health Management from April 2007 to May 2008. How he managed to be working in Delhi and Jaipur on the same date and time is a matter that we fail to understand. Even more surprising is his claim of having worked in Philippines from October 2008 to June 2009.
A selection committee was held on June 29, 2009 for the post of Professor in Health Management. The members of the selection committee were Prof. Abdul Nafey, Chancellor’s nominee, Prof. Mirza Saiyadain, expert, Prof. Furqan Qamar, expert and Dr. Talat Haleem, expert. It appears from the record that probably Dr. Haleem was not present in the Selection Committee, though he was probably the only expert of Health Management. Dr. Ravichandran was the only candidate called for interview and, therefore, he alone was interviewed and selected as Associate Professor with three advance increments. The above details suggest that all has not been right with Dr. Ravichandran’s appointment.
Equally surprising is the case of Dr. Reshma Nasreen. She was appointed as Associate Prfessor while still on probation as a lecturer. She applied for the post of Professor in Management Studies. The advertisement for two positions of Professor had appeared on Jamia Hamdard’s website. The candidates applying for the position were required to have PhD in Management with at least 10 papers in peer reviewed /referred research journals. At the time of application the candidates were also required to possess 10- year teaching experience at PG level including last five years as Associate Professor with experience of research guidance.
Being still on probation as Assistant Professor with only two publications to her credit, Dr. Reshma Nasreen should not have applied for the post. But she applied, appeared at interview and was appointed on the position of Associate Professor which was never advertised.A post is advertised to fulfill the constitutional requirement of giving equal opportunity to all citizens. But here it is clear that Jamia Hamdard has violated this fundamental right enshrined in the constitution.
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Dr. S. Raisuddin is the blue boy of the administration. Jamia Hamdard created a post of Advisor ( Research) in Professor grade. The post was advertised in Hindustan Times on May 5, 2009. We do not have yet information about the number of candidates who had applied for this position. However, Dr. Raisuddin, Associate Professor in Toxicology Department, was selected for this position.
From the advertisement referred to above it is clear that the post he had applied for was one of Advisor (Research) in Professor grade. But his appointment letter dated 30-04-2010 contained the expression Professor/Advisor (Research) which was an unethical change, to say the least.
For about two years Dr. Raisuddin called himself Professor and official University communications also treated him as such. Then suddenly in 2013 he became head of his Department and started drawing the salary of Associate Professor. It is also said that he has also applied for Professorship under promotion scheme.
Dr. Raisuddin has been holding several positions and for each position he has been receiving honourarium, the total amount of which exceeds the limit permissible under rules. His is indeed a case that deserves to be investigated by CBI.
Another example of wrong appointment is that of MS Vasudha Sharma. In response to a University advertisement, she applied for the post of Assistant Professor in Department of Food Technology. There were other applicants who had the degrees of M.Tech in food technology which was an essential qualification as per the advertisement. One applicant had even PhD in Food Technology but the University appointed MS Vasudha Sharma on the post although she did not have the essential qualification as she holds MSc in Food Technology. It must be remembered that there is a sea difference between M.Sc. and M.Tech. degrees. Dr. Sharma has not only wrongly been appointed on the post of Assistant Professor, she is also being favoured by the University in many ways which is discouraging for other faculty members.
The most inappropriate appointment was that of Dr. K.B. Sood. He was appointed as Director, Hamdard Institute of Medical Science and Research when the University set out to establish its medical college. Dr. Sood had no experience in the field and yet Dr. Qazi entrusted him with setting up the Medical College.
Besides his regular salary he was to receive 2% commission on equipments purchased or services rendered. From the few documents we have with us Dr. Sood submitted bills to Dr. Qazi and evidence suggests that he received huge amounts in addition to his regular salary. In fact, Dr. Sood is said to have employed the time-tested method of delaying the purchase of equipments, and other related things necessary for setting up a medical college so that he can buy them at high prices in the 11th hour was a strange appointment, and when he failed to deliver, and people started murmuring against him, Dr. Qazi, instead of prosecuting him, gave him window to slip out.
The medical college project has witnessed several other irregularities such as appointments without advertisement, changing designations of selected candidates or making alteration in their salaries. For example Dr. M. Haroon was appointed as Deputy Medical Superintendant in the pay scale of Associate Professor. After he joined, the University administration sought to coerce him to accept a lower position of Assistant Professor. He had to file a case in the High Court of Delhi (WPCC)6076/2011). Similarly Dr. Qazi appointed several Junior Lab Technicians on the basic pay + pay band of Rs. 2800/-. These people received their salaries several months but, then, suddenly Dr. Qazi lowered their pay band from Rs. 2800/- to Rs. 1800/- . The technicians, too have filed a case in the High Court (WPCC)5789/2011).
It is a common knowledge that the selection committees make recommendations to the Executive Council which it can reject or accept but cannot make amendment in them. But Dr. Qazi has a knack for doing illegal things. Instead of taking the matters listed above, to the Executive Council or some other appropriate bodies, he decides them in an arbitrary fashion. He indulges in illegalities even in matters which can be done legally.
Dr. Qazi is known for taking decisions in arbitrary manner. It is said that he has manipulated the UGC Guidelines 2010 (for Deemed Universities) and made hour and make good money as commission. His changes in them which allow him to work like a dictator. Even under the old statutes, he broke rules with impunity. For instance under the old statutes, Heads and Deans were appointed from among the professors for a specific period on the basis of their seniority. Dr. Qazi has broken this rule time and again. He appointed Prof. Rasheeduzzafar as Dean, Faculty of Pharmacy ignoring the statutes then in practice. He was allowed to work as Dean even when his two-year term had expired. After unceremonious exit of Prof. Zafar, Dr. Qazi has asked Prof. Asghar Ali to work as Dean and no University Order has been issued in this regard.
Similarly, Prof. Zainul Abideen is still working as Dean, though his tenure expired about a year ago. Prof. Javed Ahmad completed his three-year term as Head, Department of Botany about a year ago but he continues to work as Head even today with the blessing of Dr. G.N. Qazi.
Dr. G.N. Qazi’s dictatorial functioning is taking place under the very nose of HRD Ministry and the University Grants Commission. It is the later, the UGC which has helped Dr. Qazi in his illegal activities. Dr. Shimla, the wife of the incumbent UGC Chairman has recently obtained PhD from Jamia Hamdard, though she was not eligible to get admission in the first instance. Some NGO dragged her in the court, which curiously has given a strange verdict in her favour on the ground that she has now completed her studies and secured her degree.
Jamia Hamdard is among the few Universities which has large number of cases against it. The President of the Teachers’ Association filed a case even against Dr. G.N. Qazi , because he felt that he was continuing in office illegally after August 2011. As the matter is still in the court, the Indian Muslim Observer cannot comment on it. But a careful perusal of this case clearly suggests that how highly-paid lawyers can manipulate courts to delay a case to the extent of making it irrelevant. The Indian judiciary needs immediate reform if it really wants to serve the cause of justice and end corruption from India. Otherwise people like G.N. Qazi will continue to break rules with impunity.
[Danish Ahmad Khan, a Delhi-based Journalist, is Founder-Editor of IndianMuslimObserver.com. He can be contacted at danishkhan@indianmuslimobserver.com]
Dr. G.N. Qazi, the Vice Chancellor of Hamdard University (Jamia Hamdard), seems to have developed the bad habit of breaking rules. He has gathered cronies around him who advise and assure him that he has absolute powers and can even overrule the rules. They have filled his mind with the idea that the Vice Chancellor is authorized to do whatever he wants. Little he realizes that such advices normally come from incompetent persons whose sole purpose is to fool authorities with their flattery and curry favour from them. But it would be wrong to blame the cronies for the irregularities Dr. Qazi has committed. And the irregularities in appointments abound indeed. We cite a few examples below.
Jamia Hamdard published its advertisement No. 4/2010 in Indian Express dated May 18, 2010 seeking applications for the post of Director, Distance Education. In response the University received some applications. One candidate was Dr. A.A. Firdousi, who probably did not apply on the prescribed form, and instead sent his bio-data with a covering letter addressed to the Vice Chancellor. In response to a request made under RTI Act 2005, the University has given a form apparently filled up by Dr. Firdousi. The form requires candidates to mention the relevant advertisement number, the post applied for and give the details of draft attached with the application. But Dr. Firdousi has not given these details. Also from the details given in the form, it appears that he has been a poor student and researcher. He has only five research papers and four articles to his credit. There is no details of journals in which his articles and research papers were published.
The members of the selection committee were Prof. S.A.A. Zaidi (Chancellor’s nominee), Prof. Siddiq Wahid, Prof. Muhammad Mian and Dr. Latha Pillai – all experts. The selection committee was presided over by Dr. G.N. Qazi and it made two recommendations: a certain Dr. Sanjay Mishra was appointed on the post of Director, Distance Learning for which the interview was held. Strangely the committee considered Dr. A.A. Firdousi in absentia for the post of Professor in Coaching Academy and recommended his selection for the same.
Obviously Dr. Firdousi had not applied for the post on which he was being appointed. Next, the experts were not called to interview candidates for the position of Professor in Coaching Academy. It is also not clear if any advertisement was published in newspapers seeking applications for the post of Professor in Coaching Academy. If the appointment has been made without advertisement, it amounts to denying the people of India the right to equal opportunity, a fundamental right in our constitution.
Dr. Firdousi’s appointment in contravention of rules is not an exception. In fact, the G.N. Qazi administration seems to have developed the bad habit of violating rules while making appointments. Another example is that of Dr. Ravichandran.
The Times of India (Ascent) carried out an advertisement (No. 10/2009) by Jamia Hamdard on June 10,2009. Applications were sought for a post of Professor in Health Management along with other positions. Dr. Ravichandran applied for the post, though he did not have any degree in Health Management. He holds Masters in Math and Population Science and M.Phil and PhD in Social Sciences.
Information provided by Jamia Hamdard in response to RTI applications shows Dr. Ravichandran possessing PhD and M Phil in Health Science while copies of his degrees available with Indian Muslim Observer prove beyond doubt that he obtained these degrees in social sciences.
From the record available with the Indian Muslim Observer it appears that Dr. Ravichandran made contradictory claims about his work experience. For instance he claims to have worked at Indian Institute of Management and Research, Jaipur from June 2006 to December 2009. Then he also claims to have worked at international institute of Health Management from April 2007 to May 2008. How he managed to be working in Delhi and Jaipur on the same date and time is a matter that we fail to understand. Even more surprising is his claim of having worked in Philippines from October 2008 to June 2009.
A selection committee was held on June 29, 2009 for the post of Professor in Health Management. The members of the selection committee were Prof. Abdul Nafey, Chancellor’s nominee, Prof. Mirza Saiyadain, expert, Prof. Furqan Qamar, expert and Dr. Talat Haleem, expert. It appears from the record that probably Dr. Haleem was not present in the Selection Committee, though he was probably the only expert of Health Management. Dr. Ravichandran was the only candidate called for interview and, therefore, he alone was interviewed and selected as Associate Professor with three advance increments. The above details suggest that all has not been right with Dr. Ravichandran’s appointment.
Equally surprising is the case of Dr. Reshma Nasreen. She was appointed as Associate Prfessor while still on probation as a lecturer. She applied for the post of Professor in Management Studies. The advertisement for two positions of Professor had appeared on Jamia Hamdard’s website. The candidates applying for the position were required to have PhD in Management with at least 10 papers in peer reviewed /referred research journals. At the time of application the candidates were also required to possess 10- year teaching experience at PG level including last five years as Associate Professor with experience of research guidance.
Being still on probation as Assistant Professor with only two publications to her credit, Dr. Reshma Nasreen should not have applied for the post. But she applied, appeared at interview and was appointed on the position of Associate Professor which was never advertised.A post is advertised to fulfill the constitutional requirement of giving equal opportunity to all citizens. But here it is clear that Jamia Hamdard has violated this fundamental right enshrined in the constitution.
From the advertisement referred to above it is clear that the post he had applied for was one of Advisor (Research) in Professor grade. But his appointment letter dated 30-04-2010 contained the expression Professor/Advisor (Research) which was an unethical change, to say the least.
For about two years Dr. Raisuddin called himself Professor and official University communications also treated him as such. Then suddenly in 2013 he became head of his Department and started drawing the salary of Associate Professor. It is also said that he has also applied for Professorship under promotion scheme.
Dr. Raisuddin has been holding several positions and for each position he has been receiving honourarium, the total amount of which exceeds the limit permissible under rules. His is indeed a case that deserves to be investigated by CBI.
Another example of wrong appointment is that of MS Vasudha Sharma. In response to a University advertisement, she applied for the post of Assistant Professor in Department of Food Technology. There were other applicants who had the degrees of M.Tech in food technology which was an essential qualification as per the advertisement. One applicant had even PhD in Food Technology but the University appointed MS Vasudha Sharma on the post although she did not have the essential qualification as she holds MSc in Food Technology. It must be remembered that there is a sea difference between M.Sc. and M.Tech. degrees. Dr. Sharma has not only wrongly been appointed on the post of Assistant Professor, she is also being favoured by the University in many ways which is discouraging for other faculty members.
The most inappropriate appointment was that of Dr. K.B. Sood. He was appointed as Director, Hamdard Institute of Medical Science and Research when the University set out to establish its medical college. Dr. Sood had no experience in the field and yet Dr. Qazi entrusted him with setting up the Medical College.
Besides his regular salary he was to receive 2% commission on equipments purchased or services rendered. From the few documents we have with us Dr. Sood submitted bills to Dr. Qazi and evidence suggests that he received huge amounts in addition to his regular salary. In fact, Dr. Sood is said to have employed the time-tested method of delaying the purchase of equipments, and other related things necessary for setting up a medical college so that he can buy them at high prices in the 11th hour was a strange appointment, and when he failed to deliver, and people started murmuring against him, Dr. Qazi, instead of prosecuting him, gave him window to slip out.
The medical college project has witnessed several other irregularities such as appointments without advertisement, changing designations of selected candidates or making alteration in their salaries. For example Dr. M. Haroon was appointed as Deputy Medical Superintendant in the pay scale of Associate Professor. After he joined, the University administration sought to coerce him to accept a lower position of Assistant Professor. He had to file a case in the High Court of Delhi (WPCC)6076/2011). Similarly Dr. Qazi appointed several Junior Lab Technicians on the basic pay + pay band of Rs. 2800/-. These people received their salaries several months but, then, suddenly Dr. Qazi lowered their pay band from Rs. 2800/- to Rs. 1800/- . The technicians, too have filed a case in the High Court (WPCC)5789/2011).
It is a common knowledge that the selection committees make recommendations to the Executive Council which it can reject or accept but cannot make amendment in them. But Dr. Qazi has a knack for doing illegal things. Instead of taking the matters listed above, to the Executive Council or some other appropriate bodies, he decides them in an arbitrary fashion. He indulges in illegalities even in matters which can be done legally.
Dr. Qazi is known for taking decisions in arbitrary manner. It is said that he has manipulated the UGC Guidelines 2010 (for Deemed Universities) and made hour and make good money as commission. His changes in them which allow him to work like a dictator. Even under the old statutes, he broke rules with impunity. For instance under the old statutes, Heads and Deans were appointed from among the professors for a specific period on the basis of their seniority. Dr. Qazi has broken this rule time and again. He appointed Prof. Rasheeduzzafar as Dean, Faculty of Pharmacy ignoring the statutes then in practice. He was allowed to work as Dean even when his two-year term had expired. After unceremonious exit of Prof. Zafar, Dr. Qazi has asked Prof. Asghar Ali to work as Dean and no University Order has been issued in this regard.
Similarly, Prof. Zainul Abideen is still working as Dean, though his tenure expired about a year ago. Prof. Javed Ahmad completed his three-year term as Head, Department of Botany about a year ago but he continues to work as Head even today with the blessing of Dr. G.N. Qazi.
Dr. G.N. Qazi’s dictatorial functioning is taking place under the very nose of HRD Ministry and the University Grants Commission. It is the later, the UGC which has helped Dr. Qazi in his illegal activities. Dr. Shimla, the wife of the incumbent UGC Chairman has recently obtained PhD from Jamia Hamdard, though she was not eligible to get admission in the first instance. Some NGO dragged her in the court, which curiously has given a strange verdict in her favour on the ground that she has now completed her studies and secured her degree.
Jamia Hamdard is among the few Universities which has large number of cases against it. The President of the Teachers’ Association filed a case even against Dr. G.N. Qazi , because he felt that he was continuing in office illegally after August 2011. As the matter is still in the court, the Indian Muslim Observer cannot comment on it. But a careful perusal of this case clearly suggests that how highly-paid lawyers can manipulate courts to delay a case to the extent of making it irrelevant. The Indian judiciary needs immediate reform if it really wants to serve the cause of justice and end corruption from India. Otherwise people like G.N. Qazi will continue to break rules with impunity.
[Danish Ahmad Khan, a Delhi-based Journalist, is Founder-Editor of IndianMuslimObserver.com. He can be contacted at danishkhan@indianmuslimobserver.com]