Visva-Bharati: SC, ST, OBC forum seeks audit of VBU’s spending, recruitment; writes to education ministry

A forum representing SC, ST, OBC and minority communities in West Bengal has written to the education ministry seeking a high-level inquiry into alleged irregularities in recruitment and promotion of non-teaching staff, appointment of consultants, and financial administration at Visva-Bharati University, Santinitketan. They have also sought an audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).

In an email to union education minister Prahlad Joshi sent last week, the president of the central committee of the SC, ST, OBC and Minorities Joint Forum, Baidyanath Saha, alleged that recruitment and administrative processes at VBU have not consistently followed prescribed government norms.

The allegations span the tenures of three vice-chancellors, former VCs Sushanta Duttagupta and Bidyut Chakrabarty, as well as the present VC, Probir Kumar Ghosh.

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Visva-Bharati: Non-teaching recruitment

Saha has questioned the recruitment process for several non-teaching posts advertised by Visva-Bharati in 2023, for which the National Testing Agency (NTA) conducted exams. These include the posts of deputy registrar, assistant registrar, section officer and multi-tasking staff (MTS).

Saha alleged that while the NTA published the merit list for MTS posts, it didn’t for section officer, assistant registrar and deputy registrar ones on its website. He said that the university subsequently published panels of qualified candidates on its website and proceeded with appointments.

According to Saha, this left thousands of candidates without information about their positions in the selection process. He further alleged that in some cases recruitment was proceeding without panels being published on the university website.

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“These lists were reportedly neither published on the NTA website nor made publicly available through the prescribed process,” Saha wrote, alleging that the process raised questions about transparency and compliance with the prescribed selection protocol.

Visva Bharati University: Assistant registrar’s promotion

Saha also flagged the 2024 promotion of Pradip Kumar Saha – currently an assistant registrar with recruitment-related responsibilities – from section officer, alleging it came before he completed three years in the post.

The forum referred to CAG observations on the matter and alleged that his appointment as assistant registrar was found irregular. He alleged that despite the audit observations, Pradip Saha continued to be entrusted with recruitment-related responsibilities.

Saha has also raised questions over the proposed re-engagement of Pradip Saha after his retirement on October 31, 2026. Visva Bharati executive council has created a consultant’s position relating to recruitment.

“Why is an officer whose appointment has reportedly been questioned by the CAG being considered for continued engagement in the recruitment process?” Saha asked. He also alleged that the internal audit officer had questioned the arrangement.

Saha further alleged that 58 appointments during the Duttagupta administration and 68 appointments during the Chakrabarty administration had faced questions over alleged irregularities.

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Visva Bharati Santiniketan consultants, reservation

Saha has also alleged irregularities in the engagement of retired Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) officials as consultants in administration, finance and audit under the present administration. Naming two such appointees, he alleged that their appointments did not follow procedures laid down under the General Financial Rules (GFR) and GeM. Separately, the forum has questioned the alleged engagement of a legal consultant despite Visva-Bharati having an Executive Council-approved panel of retained lawyers.

The forum has also alleged that reservation data may have been manipulated and deserving candidates excluded from interviews. Saha added that written examinations were conducted independently by the university despite the NTA recruitment process. “Recruitment requires the highest standards of transparency, integrity, and impartiality and should be conducted strictly in accordance with applicable rules and procedures,” Saha wrote.

Visva-Bharati’s spokesperson, Atiq Ghosh said, “Anybody can write anything to the ministry. The ministry has not communicated with us about this.”.