Jaipur: Governor’s office has written to the registrar of Rajasthan University (RU) seeking a report within three days regarding intervention in the matter of irregularities in the PhD admission process in the university, specifically the reduction of PhD seats and the cancellation of admissions after the notification had been issued.The letter, dated Sept 16, states, “…you are requested to examine the matter, take appropriate action against the guilty staff members in accordance with the rules, and submit a factual report to this secretariat within three days so that the matter may be presented to the governor and chancellor accordingly.”Earlier this month, students wrote to Governor regarding alleged discrepancies in the PhD admission process. In the letter to Governor, students had demanded a stay on the entire PhD admission process and the constitution of a high-level inquiry committee, the coursework—which was started in Sept before the PhD admission process was even completed—to be halted, reinstatement of cancelled PhD admissions, admission be granted to commerce students to the PhD programme under the ‘second preference’ category, among other demands.BOX- Guv’s office directs RU VC ‘not to take any policy decisions’The Governor’s office on Thursday wrote to the vice-chancellor of University of Rajasthan instructing not to take any policy decisions. As per an order from Feb 2022, Vice-Chancellors of state-funded universities cannot take any policy decisions during the final three months of their tenure. RU VC Alpana Kateja’s tenure ends this month.The letter from the Governor’s office states, “It has come to the notice of the Governor and Chancellor that you are proceeding to make appointments to the posts of Principal, Director, Head of Department, or other key administrative positions. Therefore, you are directed not to take any policy decisions. Any policy decisions should be taken only after the appointment of the new Vice-Chancellor.”
