The University Grants Commission selected scientist Akhilesh Gupta as its secretary. The Commission, at a meeting on 22 October 202, further decided to remove earlier acting secretary Niloufer Kazmi, also an applicant for the secretary’s post.
Kazmi, who lost to Akhilesh has now leveled charges of corruption and discrimination against UGC chairman Ved Prakash. However regarding the charges, HRD is holding it baseless.
In September 2012, Kazmi and Gupta were among candidates shortlisted for the post of secretary after an initial screening process.
Howvere the day Gupta got selected, Kazmi accused Prakash of coercing her into helping him cover up for corruption. Apparently, Prakash helped his wife gain admission into a PhD programme at Jamia Hardard and then a job as a university registrar, although she was unqualified for both.
She went ahead and also complained to the National Commission on Minorities (NCM) that the UGC had violated norms in not picking a minority community member on the selection panel. Kazmi also approached the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) in this regard.
The new UGC selection panel last Saturday interviewed candidates – including Kazmi – and once again picked Gupta. It recommended Najma Akhtar, a professor at the National University for Educational Planning and Administration (NUEPA), as a second back up candidate for the UGC to consider.
The full UGC met again after the initial drama on 23 October 2012, where members unanimously approved Gupta’s appointment. The UGC now plans to officially appoint Gupta as the secretary once the Central Administrative Tribunal decides on Kazmi’s case, who is to come up for hearing on 30 October 2012.
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