Delhi LG approves proposal to forward complaints for inquiry into 'irregularities' in recruitment at DPSRU

NEW DELHI: Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena has approved a proposal to forward complaints for an inquiry into alleged large-scale irregularities committed in the recruitment of faculty members by the Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University (DPSRU) in 2019, Raj Niwas officials said on Tuesday. The Department of Training and Technical Education had received several complaints alleging a large-scale appointment scam, favouritism and corruption in the faculty and staff appointments at the DPSRU.

The complaints had started coming in since 2020 regarding irregularities in the appointments for the posts of professor, associate professor and assistant professor in the university for which advertisements were published in the media in February and July, 2019. After obtaining the relevant records from the university, the department, through its vigilance branch, examined the recruitment process concerning six candidates against whom the complaints were made.

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The vigilance branch, in its findings, stated that the candidates either lacked experience for the posts or submitted forged documents to meet the eligibility criteria. In its report, the vigilance branch also said "such large-scale irregularities in the appointment of faculties are not possible without the active connivance of the Vice Chancellor, DPSRU, who acted as the Chairman of the Selection Committee".

The LG approved the chief secretary's proposal for serving a seven-day notice to the DPSRU for an inspection and inquiry in terms of section 8(3) of the Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University Act, 2008. The LG is also the chancellor of the DPSRU. Top Delhi government officials who examined the files and reports of the vigilance department were of the view that this was a serious matter concerning the alleged irregularities and illegalities in the recruitment process conducted by the DPSRU. The chief secretary proposed to invoke section 8 of the DPSRU Act for causing an inspection or inquiry in this regard. Section 8 empowers the chancellor to conduct an inspection or inquiry into the affairs of the university.

The DPSRU had advertised 21 posts of faculty through an advertisement dated February 23, 2019 and subsequently, the recruitment rules were amended by the university, enhancing the the age limit for the assistant professor's post from 35 to 40 years, along with other changes. After the amendment of the recruitment rules, the university issued another advertisement on July 26, 2019 for filling up 52 posts of faculty, including 21 posts notified earlier. The department said there is a possibility that the recruitment rules were changed to accommodate or favour specific candidates and therefore, it is imperative to scrutinise all cases of recruitment made in reference to the advertisement dated July 26, 2019.