Srinagar, Feb 23: Authorities at the Kashmir University (KU) have constituted a three-member panel to resolve the inter-se seniority “dispute” of the varsity professors.
A top official of the University told Greater Kashmir that the panel is headed by KU’s Dean Academic Affairs and comprises Dean Research KU and one non-university officer as its two members.
The official said the committee was constituted on Tuesday after the Registrar mooted a proposal to have the seniority “dispute” resolved once and for all “in the larger interest of the university.
The need to fix the disputed seniority arose after Professor Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Sangmi, who is presently Dean College Development Council, submitted an application to the Vice-Chancellor Prof Talat Ahmad claiming that he was the senior-most professor in the University as against Prof Khurshid Iqbal Andrabi of the Department of Biotechnology, the official said.
“Prof Sangmi submitted his application around two weeks ago following the retirement of Prof. Neelofer Khan who was the senior most professor of the University and would hold the charge as in-charge VC of the University during absence of the permanent VC,” the KU official said.
Prof Sangmi in his application has challenged the inter-se seniority list which was formulated by the University authorities in 2017, whereby the seniority list had Prof Neelofar Khan, Prof Khurshid Iqbal Andrabi and Prof Ghulam Mohiuddin Sangmi at serial no 1, 2 and 3 positions, respectively.
Prof Neelofar Khan of the Institute of Home Sciences attained superannuation on January 31, 2022, triggering concerns among academicians at the University on who shall be handed over the charge of in-charge VCship in absence of Prof Talat Ahmad.
A top official said the issue attained prominence few days ago after Prof Talat sought ‘advice’ of the University Chancellor, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, on handing over the charge of in-charge VC in view of the disputed nature of the seniority of professors for the period during which he will be out of station for a health check-up.
“The Chancellor’s office asked the VC to hand over the charge to the third person outside the university to hold the charge of In-Charge VC KU,” he said.
In a surprising move, first- of- its-kind in the university, it has now come to the fore that the charge of in-charge VC will be handed over to Prof Shakil A Romshoo, the current VC of Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST), beginning February 24 to February 28, the leave period of Prof Talat.
Notably, Prof Romshoo was appointed as VC IUST August 14 of 2021 and is also one of the applicants for the post of VC KU for which the search committee stands already constituted.
While Prof Romshoo is expected to take the charge on Thursday, sources said the 3-member committee headed by Dean Academic Affairs is also meeting in a day or two to examine the seniority dispute and come up with its recommendations.
Sources said the matter is being discussed by the Kashmir University Teachers’ Association (KUTA) which has already approached the varsity administration to resolve it.
When contacted, KUTA president Dr Manzoor Chachoo said he has already taken up the matter with Registrar KU who has assured to resolve it in the shortest possible time.
“Yes, it is good to have a full time senior professor in the University who will be available in the varsity and be given the responsibility when need arises. We are hopeful that the dispute in the seniority list will get resolved shortly,” he told Greater Kashmir.