Financial crisis at Dyal Singh College due to principal-chairman tussle: Teachers

Delhi University’s Dyal Singh College (DSC) is facing a “financial crisis” due to a tussle between the principal and the governing body (GB) chairman. According to the president of the college’s teachers association, the bank had stopped acting on communications signed by the principal. The bank also sent a letter to the chairman on the issue.

Stating that this was “causing financial loss to employees”, DSC teachers’ association president P K Parihar said, “They are losing interest on their PF as the amount is not being transferred into PF (account). Also, medical reimbursement of all, including pensioners, is under threat. This despite the V-C recognising Dr I S Bakshi as principal, against the ‘illegal order of chairman’ to send him on leave.”

Last month, GB Chairman Amitabh Sinha had sent Bakshi on “long leave” and set up an enquiry against him for administrative and financial irregularities. Pawan Sharma, principal of the Dyal Singh (Evening) College, was made acting principal. But Bakshi defied the orders and continued working, saying that the allegations against him were with “malafide intentions”.

In a letter to the chairman on October 10, the branch manager of the State Bank of India, Lodhi Road, said that appointment of acting principal “should be done in accordance with the prescribed guidelines” of Ordinance XVIII — for colleges other than those maintained by the Government of India — which states that in absence of the principal, the vice-principal will act as the principal, and in the vice-principal’s absence, the most-senior teacher will take over.

“In present matter, appointment of officiating principal is not in consonance with guidelines laid down by Ordinance XVII. Hence, any operation of account by such officiating principal is without legal mandate,” wrote the branch manager.

“In those accounts where operation can be done with joint signature of chairman and treasurer or bursar, operation can be allowed with the signature of these two signatories. However, in those accounts, where operation can be done only with joint signature of principal, and treasurer or bursar, matter may be raised with the governing body of college duly apprising them bank’s concerns in this regard and clarification must be sought along with guidelines allowing governing body to appoint acting principal overriding ordinance,” he wrote.

Bakshi said he had not received any written communication from the bank, but it seemed like they were not moving forward with the transactions on which he had signed. “They have written to the university, seeking clarity on the matter. I, too, have written to the university asking them to intervene and quash the orders, but haven’t received a response,” he said.

Sinha, however, said there was no financial crisis and that problems were arising due to Bakshi’s “insubordination”. “How can he continue to function as principal when an enquiry is pending against him? He is not following the norms — of getting letters signed by the GB chairman and treasurer — and insists on signing them himself. We can get him forcibly evicted… but that would harm the dignity of the post of principal,” he said.
NEws Source (Indian Express)