End Term Of Eastern VC; Confusion For University, Corruption For UGC, Acid Test For Ministry
By Thangamuthu Jayasingam –February 19, 2015
DR. Thangamuthu Jayasingam
End of term of DR Kobindarajah as Vice Chancellor of Eastern University: Confusion for University, Corruption for UGC, Acid test for Ministry
The Registrar of Eastern University had informed the UGC by his letter dated 12th January 2015, that the period of the current Vice Chancellor ends of 12th February 2015. This is in accordance with the E-Code. Chapter III, section 18:13:2 reads as “ It is the duty of the Secretary of the Commission, Registrar of the University or an open university / Secretary of a University College to satisfy himself that an appointment is in order and to advise the appointing authority of the position”. The Registrar had done his duty and informed the UGC to take action for acting arrangements until a VC is appointed from 13th February 2015 onwards. If there were any concerns the UGC had all the time to communicate to the Registrar until he left on 31st January 2015. It is murky that the UGC sends clarification to a subsequent query from the Actg Registrar on 5th February 2015 by fax on 9th quoting section 3:8 of the E-Code. Very unprofessional and I would go beyond to consider it as inefficiency and malpractice. (however the administration has kept this a secret not divulging it to the Teachers Association)
Dr. K Kobindarajah
A letter was sent by the UGC chairperson Prof K Hirimburegama to the Eastern University CLARIFYING the date of end of term on 9th February 2015( the date of her Resignation). It stated that the date of assumption of duties would be 4th March 2015, as per section 3:8 of the E Code. ( section 3:8 of the E-code: Section 3:8 states, “The effective date of an appointment or promotion will be the date specified in the letter of appointment or the date on which the person first assumes the duties of his new post whichever is the later….”). Little do they realize that this is an appointment by the President, effective from the date of appointment ( 13thFebruary 2012) to a defined period of three years as per section 34(i) of the University Act.
The appointment of the University Grants Commission or the Vice Chancellor is not spelt out in the Establishment Code,; states in the First para 1:1 in effect, that the commission shall be appointed by the President under section2(1) AND 4(1) ; it does not speak of the appointment of the Vice Chancellor at all. Thus the regulations laid there may not be directly applicable to these positions as they are governed by the act and the appointing authority being the President of the Country. If not, the following questions would become relevant;Read More
