Hyderabad: An allegation of favouritism has been leveled against Maulana Azad National University (MANUU) regarding appointments, with a complaint claiming that over 50 people were appointed to different positions without following due process.
A letter written by a ‘whistleblower’ on the issue was addressed to the President of India and the Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC), raising concerns over various appointments. It very specifically also stated that the appointment of one Mrs Asia Uzma in the Center for Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy was done as she is the daughter-in-law of a professor from Aligarh Muslim University, and due to her ‘personal connections’ with MANUU’s Vice Chancellor.
Appointment to five posts
The allegation suggests that, except for the five key posts at the Center for Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy, appointments in various departments were made swiftly. However, the selection process for the Center for Social Exclusion posts was conspicuously delayed.
Suddenly, scrutiny of applications commenced only for one of the five posts in the center. The post comes under the unreserved category.
The letter notes that after scrutiny, 53 candidates from various parts of the country were invited, but the outcome of the interview process seemed predefined. Allegedly, the panel, consisting of the Dean and Director, followed the Vice Chancellor’s cues instead of objectively assessing the candidates.
Not an isolated incident
Citing the interview process, the letter claims that this is not an isolated incident in MANUU, but reflects a ‘deeply rooted issue’ within the university’s appointment procedure.
In light of these revelations, the letter implores the respective offices to initiate a thorough and impartial inquiry into the entire selection process for the Center for Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy at MANUU.
It concludes, “Beyond addressing the immediate concerns at MANUU, I implore you to consider implementing stringent measures to prevent future occurrences of nepotism and favoritism in academic appointments across the country.”
