The inscrutable Nalanda silence of Nitish Kumar
By Ajay Kumar - PATNA
Published: 17th Jun 2012 10:16:41 AM
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Bihar CM Nitish Kumar.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar seems to have double standards dealing with controversies that continue to dog two of the state’s prestigious universities: the Central University of Bihar (CUB) and the Nalanda International University (NIU). After locking horns with the central government over the continuing and contentious issue as to where to locate the main CUB campus—Motihari or Gaya—Nitish is uncharacteristically silent on the kerfuffles that keep appearing with uncomfortable regularity involving the NIU.
The Indian Constitution says the Centre has the right to open a central university anywhere in the country. The concerned state has no say in the matter. Yet Nitish has made the location of CUB—Motihari and not Gaya—a prestige issue for no apparent reason. He was stridently vocal over setting up of a branch of the Aligarh Muslim University—also a central university—in Bihar. The CM hasn’t even responded to the criticism by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs on the varsity’s functioning. The Standing Committee was chaired by senior MP Ananth Kumar of the BJP and also included Shivanand Tiwari of the Janata Dal (United).
Academics in Patna attribute Nitish’s silence on Nalanda to the fact that it is coming up in his home district, Nalanda. Heavy hitters wield considerable clout in university matters; the powerful former bureaucrat and JD(U) Rajya Sabha MP N K Singh is part of the Mentor Group of the NIU. Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen is the chairman of the Group—now called Governing Board—and has a good rapport with the chief minister.
Nitish’s silence on the university’s affairs is deafening. Nalanda is the brainchild of Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, with whom Nitish had a warm meeting in Patna late last week. But when the former president quit as Visitor last year, the Bihar media, controlled by Nitish, completely blacked it out. Ironically, the news became public only when a former media person mailed Kalam on developments regarding NIU and was told Kalam is no more the Visitor.
The CM is also silent over the controversial appointment of a Reader of a Delhi University college, Gopa Sabharwal, as the Vice-Chancellor of NIU with retrospective effect. As per the UGC criteria, only a Professor with work experience—and not a Reader—can be appointed as the V-C of any university. Nitish has kept schtum when the NIU set up its office not in Nalanda, or even in Patna, but in R K Puram, New Delhi.
Academics question how a university can be run from 1,100 km away. Nitish hasn’t bothered to enquire why the Centre is paying Gopa `5,06,513 per month as salary; nearly double the amount the V-C of Delhi University gets. Gopa and seven of her associates have been drawing their salaries since October 2010; the Union government formally confirmed her as the V-C of the NIU only in April 2012. Nitish hasn’t bothered to question the Ministry of External Affairs which confirmed her appointment either.
The Bihar government has reduced the land allotment to NIU from 1,000 acres to 500 acres. Nitish, however, refuses to comment.
Comments(5)
Good article! But the tag 'international' should not be used for Nalanda University. It is a media invention, without any legislative or diplomatic basis. There is no inter-governmental agreement on University. No foreign government has officially endorsed it or financed it. The only piece of legislation on the subject is Nalanda University Act, 2010 of Govt of India. The President of the India is the Visitor. There is no international presence in the two committees recently constituted by Planning Commission. Nalanda University actually exemplifies a misgovernance. It was begun by government of India on the presumption that others will join it. In the end no body came. Its about time the Nalanda University shut its shop.
Posted by Priyadarshi at 06/17/2012 10:37 Reply to this Report abuse
Good piece on NU, which existence appears quite impossible at the moment because of a number of controversies, created by the chairman of the governing board of the NU, Prof Amartya Sen. Apart from virtually ousting former president of India APJ, who had informed me that he is longer associated with the university in reply to my e-mail about eight months back.Kalam's disassociation was kept secret by the NU led by Prof Sen and the MEA of the govt of India, which is the nodal body of the university. It was APJ, who had conceived the idea of NU on ruins of the ancient NU! The statute and Act of the NU , enacted by the Parliament have dicrepencies. While qualification and experiences for the appointment of the chancellor are mentioned in statute -but there is nothing in the statute about appointment of the vice-chancellor, obviously to cover up misdeeds in appointing one Gopa , a reader in DU as V-C on highest ever salary. Many sad tales of controversy! www.kksingh1.blogspot.com
Posted by K K Singh at 06/17/2012 11:45 Reply to this Report abuse
Bihar CM Nitish Kumar is master player of double standard! Perhaps Nitish has different approach over NU than central university because Prof Amnartya Sen, his party MP N K Singh and Gopa Sabharwal and Nitish himself are close friends! So why he will bother for revival of the NU on the ruins of ancient NU? Nitish has spoken nothing in the last 1 year over controversies and misdeeds of Prof Sen in NU in last 4 years! As if NU has no importance in his agenda! Illegal appointment of Gopa as V-C, on highest ever salary,NU office at New Delhi instead of Rajgir in Nalanda in Bihar , abuses to Indian academics and Bihraris by Prof Sen,and also pointing of non-availablity of civic facility in Rajgir for its hqrs as complained by Gopa have not attracted Nitish and he is keeping mum over the issue, reasons best known to him! Headqrs of NU can function from Rajgir as Bihar govt has provided temporary building for the purpose and Rajgir have starred hotels where NU office could be reaallocated!
Posted by krishnakumarsingh at 06/17/2012 12:07 Reply to this Report abuse
The sordid tale of the so called Nalanda university, its revival story is already stinking. One of the high profile patrons has imperfect idea about India' culture/history and the ethos of the original Nalanda university. The less said the better about one iconic ex babu, who has a chequered career. The Vice Chancellor, enjoying a fabulous salary has no academic credentials worth the name. What's her international academic credentials ? Her other favourites are equally undeserving. Why add another misery on a hapless Bihar and revive the ghost of Bakhtiyar Khilji who destroyed it and made Bihar educationally/culturally decadent for nine centuries.
Posted by G.S. Banerjee at 06/17/2012 12:22 Reply to this Report abuse
why are we all wasting our time ? In India , the only thing that works is favouritism and networks . Gopa has the best connections ( how does it matter if she is incompetent or why should she be paid more than the VC of DU ? ) In fact she and her OSD have blatantly claimed in many forums that nobody can touch them , they have very high connections and the media like always will make a song and dance and then it will all die down . It is now going to be 2 years what has been done except bleed the govt to fund the lavish life styles , salaries , perks , International travels for these ladies . Nothing will change , we will all witness that the claims made by these ladies will actually be true . In fact they are now planning for their next International soujorns , to what avail only they know . We will once again wait and let the entire nation be befooled once again. When we could not do anything on common wealth games what can we as Nation do now .
Posted by ajay kaushik at 06/25/2012 10:54 Reply to this Report abuse