CAG picks holes in NIT-Rourkela faculty recruitment

National Institute of Technology-Rourkela (NIT-R) has landed in fresh trouble with the Comptroller-cum-Auditor General (CAG) detecting glaring irregularities in faculty recruitment.
Representational image. (File Photo | Nagaraja Gadekal/EPS)
Representational image. (File Photo | Nagaraja Gadekal/EPS)

ROURKELA: National Institute of Technology-Rourkela (NIT-R) has landed in fresh trouble with the Comptroller-cum-Auditor General (CAG) detecting glaring irregularities in faculty recruitment.

The audit report that covered the period from August 2017 to March 2018 stated that NIT-R had published advertisements for contractual appointment to 203 faculty posts in AGP (academic grade pay) of Rs 6,000 to Rs 10,500 amounting to gross pay of Rs 65,000 to Rs 1.70 lakh as per Seventh Pay Commission in September 2017.

Three incumbent Assistant Professors (Asst Prof) got disqualified for the posts of Associate Professors (Asso Prof) in AGP of Rs 9,500, but on getting selected as Assistant Professors in AGP of Rs 8,000, they were given seven increments. The report described it as extension of undue favour.

It further noted that an Assistant Professor in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Department failed to qualify for Asst Prof post in AGP of Rs 8,000 but on selection in AGP of Rs 7,000, he also got seven increments. In all these cases, no reasons were mentioned for five increments, while two increments were cited for academic achievements. Five increments without reasons point at lack of transparency and irregular/illogical, the report commented. 

On the reply of the institute’s management that assessment and evaluation of scholarly outcomes is the prerogative and discretion of Selection Committee of the institute, the audit team sought to know about clause/guidelines which allow prerogative and discretionary power to the Selection Committee. It also asked the institute to examine similar cases and intimate the audit about action taken. 

The audit report also observed that 59 candidates in academic service of NIT-R got selected to different posts and were granted additional increments in addition to changes in AGP. 

The changes in grade pay and additional increments of 51 internal faculty members put financial burden of about Rs 1.15 crore on the institute between February and December 2018. It said increments recommended by Selection Committee are not supported by guidelines.

The CAG team from Office of Director General of Audit (Central), Hyderabad had conducted the audit for 19 days in October and November 2018 and submitted its report to the NIT-R Director on December 26, 2018 seeking reply in a month through Secretary to MHRD. The MHRD on February 7 had also asked the Director to submit reply which is yet to be complied.

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