Prof dissents over Deshbandhu (Evening) admissions committee

In a letter to Director of South Campus Professor Abhai Mansingh, Singh has asked him to declare the committee illegal. According to him, the principal formed the committee and then called for a meeting of its members on June 10. Singh was a part of the admission committee formed by O’Brian.

Selection of the members of the admission committee is generally undertaken by the college staff council or the advisory committee. In case of a problem, the old committee takes charge. After receiving the letter, Mansingh asked the principal for a clarification. “There is not much we can do. The principal cannot be blamed just because one member has made some allegations. We are waiting for the principal’s reply,” Mansingh says.

Principal O’Brian was not available for comment. However, at a staff council meeting yesterday, he reportedly mentioned the issue. Dr Singh had alleged that the admission committee was formed in a hurry and he was not informed about the June 10 meeting in advance, even though he was required to attend it. Singh says he got to know of the meeting after it was well underway, through a colleague.

In his letter Singh has questioned the “hurried formation” of the committee and said that “this method of working” would create a number of problems in the day-to-day running of the college.

Earlier, there were a few complaints regarding the appointment of the new principal, O Brian. At the selection committee meeting last month, some members had protested the fact that only O’Brian’s name figured on the panel of likely candidates suggested by them. The general practice is to draw a list of at least three names. “This is done as a contingency plan,” explains a selection committee member. “More than one name are suggested on that list so that in case the selected person cannot join for some reason, there is an alternate candidate.”

The members had asked for a more comprehensive list. The university said that the list was finalised by the selection committee and subsequently O’Brian was appointed principal.