‘No promotion in 11 years’: Protest by faculty at Haryana varsity enters fifth month

The sit-in strike by the faculty members of Dada Lakhmi Chand State University of Performing and Visual Arts (DLCSUPVA) in Haryana’s Rohtak entered its fifth month on Wednesday (August 30), with the stalemate likely to continue as there seems to be no solution in sight. The 18 odd professors of the varsity, which was established in 2011 by Haryana government’s department of Technical Education, have been staging a demonstration on the varsity premises every day after office hours against alleged irregularities in the recruitment process for faculty positions.

They have accused the university’s management of refusing to implement the University Grants Commission’s 7th Pay Commission Recommendations, indulging in backdoor recruitments ‘violating established procedures’ and ‘compromising the institution’s integrity.’ They are demanding upgraded salaries, with all allied benefits, for the regular teaching staff, and initiating concrete steps for the promotion of the regular teaching staff.

The professors told The Federal that they have made representations to the university authorities, both verbally and in writing, a number of times, to no avail. They have also written two letters to the Governor Bandaru Dattatreya, the varsity’s Chancellor, in this regard, but claim that no concrete or time-bound reply has been received till date. They alleged that Vice-Chancellor Gajendra Chauhan has been blasé, issuing veiled threats to the professors instead for flagging the issues.

‘No promotions in 11 years, backdoor appointments’

The founding professors, who have devoted several years to the varsity, have cited ‘stifled career growth’ as another point of contention. Though they have come from institutions such as Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), JJ School of Arts and the National School of Drama (NSD), they claim to have encountered ‘systematic obstacles’ to promotions. Expressing their deep frustration to The Federal, they claimed that they have not been promoted during the last 11 years.

“It has already been four months since we sat on dharna. Two of us have been given show-cause notices even though we have been doing all our academic duties as per office hours. It’s only during our free time that we sit on dharna. We don’t know how long we would continue this as many of us are being harassed,” said a faculty member, adding that their appeals have fallen on the deaf ears of the university authorities.

Chauhan, who had a controversial stint as FTII chairman in 2015, was appointed the V-C in 2021. Before him, Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) Vice-Chancellor Rajbir Singh had the additional charge. The professors alleged that Chauhan has ‘vowed to bring the faculty to their knees’. “All of us are highly qualified in our respective fields, yet our credentials seem to have been disregarded,” the faculty member, who wants to remain anonymous, told The Federal.

The professors drew attention to appointments and positions allegedly being handed out without proper procedures. They specifically mentioned an instance where an individual with no background in the field was appointed as acting department head. The requisite qualification for the post was downgraded to accommodate the man, the faculty member alleged.

He pointed out that the university’s advisory panels and committees include people who lack clear qualifications or hold advisory positions in an ambiguous capacity. He also underlines a lack of proper rules and academic governance, attributing these issues to the influence of MDU V-C Rajbir Singh, who they allege still controls much of the administrative processes.

Letters to the Governor

Earlier, on July 26, in a letter addressed to Governor Bandaru Dattatreya, the Chancellor, the faculty members expressed their deep concern over the administration’s conduct during the recruitment of Assistant Professors, Associate Professors, and Professors. Their letter details violation of established protocols within the university's various faculties. A major allegation pertains to the alteration of educational qualifications for the recruitment of faculty members, which reportedly contradicts guidelines set by the UGC and the Government of Haryana.

The professors have claimed that teachers from faculties of Film and Television, Design, and Visual Arts were excluded from decisions about qualifications despite the nature of the programmes taught in those departments. Moreover, the scrutiny committees responsible for assessing candidate eligibility allegedly lacked representation from concerned departments. The professors also alleged that external subject experts were not chosen from lists approved by the respective departments’ statutory bodies.

According to the letters accessed by The Federal, regular recruitments were carried out even without a permanent Registrar, with an officiating Registrar reportedly beyond the acceptable age for service. In the Faculty of Film and Television, the recruitment of an Assistant Professor in the Department of Film Editing is under scrutiny for having sidelined the HOD from the process. The professors alleged that external subject experts were also chosen arbitrarily, sidestepping the statutory bodies within the department. They highlighted that the interviewee’s background is inconsistent with the nature of the programmes offered by the university.

The professors, in their letter, have appealed to the Governor for an immediate halt to the ongoing recruitment process and requested a thorough investigation into the alleged irregularities. They evoked the erosion of DLCSUPVA’s credibility and reputation due to these practices and called for appropriate disciplinary and legal actions against those responsible.

In yet another letter to the Governor on July 19, the faculty members underlined that the university, which holds the promise of being a centre of excellence in performing and visual arts, is “struggling under the weight of weak leadership and mismanagement.” The professors also drew attention to the recruitment of contractual staff members beyond the age of 65, who are accused of overturning decisions made by permanent faculty members. This interference, coupled with what they term as ‘blatant acts of self-proclamation and domination,’ has reportedly created a hostile and demotivating work environment for everyone associated with the university.

Despite numerous requests to the varsity administration to address these concerns, the faculty members alleged that their appeals have had no results. They alleged that the administration’s priorities seem to be guided by “personal agendas rather than the well-being of the institution”. They also alleged that important documents are mysteriously disappearing from official files and records of key meetings, including those of the Academic Council, Executive Council, and Court meetings, are being inaccurately recorded and signed by members on separate sheets of paper.

The Federal tried to reach out to DLCSUPVA authorities, including Vice-Chancellor Gajendra Chauhan, for their comment but they were not available. This story will be updated once we hear from the varsity authorities.