Jt dir of edu complains: NU VC following diktats of Secular Panel

Nagpur: It’s often said that Nagpur University administration led by vice chancellor Siddharthavinayaka Kane follows the diktats of the Secular Panel, led by Board of College and University Development (BCUD) director Dinesh Agrawal. On Wednesday, this fact was confirmed by none other than joint director for higher education, Anjali Rahatgaonkar. She has lodged a complaint against Kane and Agrawal with the higher and technical education department, over the ‘illegal appointment’ of finance and accounts officer (FAO) Raju Hiwase.
Rahatgaonkar has accused the VC of working as per the whims and fancies of Agrawal and “illegally appointing” Hiwase as NU’s FAO. She also accused Agrawal of using “unparliamentary” language against her during the Management Council meeting on Tuesday, forcing her to grant approval to Hiwase’s appointment.
“Agrawal defended Hiwase’s appointment, despite the fact that the latter does not have the required qualifications and administrative experience. His postgraduate degree (MS), obtained from distance learning mode, is not recognized while he lacks five years of experience required for the statutory post. When I demanded Hiwase’s documents, Agrawal took objection and, shockingly, the VC refused to give me those documents,” Rahatgaonkar told TOI.
She claimed that the two tried to pressurize her into signing on Hiwase’s approval, who is believed to be very close to Agrawal and working in the same institution. “They told me to sign on the papers without asking any questions or verifying documents. So far, I’ve heard that the VC works under pressure. But yesterday, I witnessed it first hand how he blindly follows the diktats of Agrawal and team. Hiwase doesn’t even know how to make a balance sheet and, being an engineer, lacks qualifications related to the field. I wonder how he can do justice to the job,” Rahatgaonkar asked.
She mentioned her opposition to the new FAO’s appointment in the proceedings of the meeting and later dispatched a complaint letter to the government and chancellor Ch Vidyasagar Rao.
The VC refused to take TOI’s call, while Agrawal denied the charges levelled against him. He told TOI that whatever he said was addressed to the chair and there were no personal remarks.
“Every member can speak in the meeting and I made my stand clear. Hiwase’s application was cleared by the scrutiny committee while selection was made by VC-led panel. I had absolutely no role to play in it. The decision to approve his appointment was taken by the chair and other members,” he said.
Even Hiwase defended his appointment, saying he has obtained MS degree from BITS Pilani, which was a renowned institution. “I have administrative experience of conducting workshops,” he told TOI.
Officials said Kane had earlier refused to disclose names of 32 deficient engineering colleges on the advice of Agrawal, who is protecting these institutions.
The BCUD director allegedly granted undue favours to these colleges by granting them approval despite large scale deficiencies