14 hours ago
Gurukul Kangri staff form panel after clash over APS control on university
HARIDWAR: A day after a violent clash at Gurukul Kangri (Deemed-to-be) University in Haridwar, teaching and non-teaching staff held a joint meeting on Thursday and formed a 21-member coordination committee to handle all university matters.
The unrest stems from growing resentment among employees over the alleged attempt by Arya Pratinidhi Sabha (APS) units to tighten their control over the university and the appointment of chancellor SK Arya, which staff claim violates norms. Arya Pratinidhi Sabhas are non-govt Arya Samaj organisations in
Punjab
,
Haryana
, and Delhi that have been running the universities. The
UGC
Regulation 2023 seeks to limit their control over the institutions.
Staff leaders said tensions peaked when APS representatives, accompanied by unidentified men, arrived on campus to check arrangements for Arya's planned visit on September 5. A heated exchange escalated into physical violence, prompting police intervention. Registrar Sunil Kumar was later removed by the vice-chancellor after staff accused him of siding with APS.
Prof Prabhat Sengar, president of the teaching staff association, told
TOI
that employees were not responsible for the clash.
by Taboola
by Taboola
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He alleged that APS units, which claim to be the university's sponsoring body, want complete control, including the right to appoint the chancellor and vice-chancellor, as allowed under the UGC's 2019 regulations. However, staff want the university to adopt the UGC's 2023 regulations, which limit such powers.
Staff leaders also questioned APS's credibility, pointing out that the sponsoring body failed to meet eight conditions set by the ministry of education, one of which was to deposit a Rs 10 crore corpus fund for adopting the 2019 rules. 'How can they be trusted to pay annual salaries of over Rs 84 crore if they can't deposit Rs 10 crore?' employees asked. They alleged that Arya and Vidyalankar's visit was aimed at diverting university funds to meet this requirement.
