GTU 461 Colleges, 5L Students, but only 14 admin staff

By Yogesh Avasthi, Ahmedabad Mirror | May 9, 2016, http://ahmedabadmirror.indiatimes.com/ahmedabad/cover-story/461-Colleges-5L-Students-but-only-14-admin-staff/articleshow/52178128.cms

Gujarat Technological University (GTU) may claim laurels far and wide for its diverse courses, but it is an altogether different situation for the varsity when it comes to managing its own administrative affairs. GTU, which has 5 lakh students studying in 461 affiliated colleges, has been functioning with only 14 officials, thanks to its ego tussle with state government. The varsity operates without more than 400 key officials including registrar, controller of exams and chief accountant. While GTU has been without a permanent registrar for nearly three years now, it has never had a controller of exams; it is the deputy registrar who handles both the key posts.
To add to the disarray, the term of the current vice chancellor expires on June 7 and the recruitment process is not likely to begin anytime soon, said sources. Asked why the posts have not been sanctioned yet, Anish Mankad, Commissioner of Technical Education, evaded a clear-cut reply, saying, "GTU is an independent body and can take decisions on its own. We have nothing more to do. Sometime ago, the government had sanctioned 35 posts."
The varsity began operations in June 2008 and introduced postgraduate courses in 2009. It had sent a requisition to the state education department, seeking sanction of 455 teaching and non-teaching posts three years ago. Of these, the government sanctioned 35 posts, but over a period of time many of the hired officials left. At present, there are only 28 officials on the sanctioned posts - 14 permanent staff and 14 on fixed salary.

The remaining non-sanctioned posts have been outsourced on contract basis. The varsity has an assistant registrar, deputy registrar, research coordinator and internal auditor besides 10 others in the low-rung positions. They also hold additional charges of posts that are yet to be filled up. The colleges affiliated to the varsity offer diploma, degree and postgraduate degree courses in engineering, MBA and MCA.

IN-CHARGE OFFICIALS FOR KEY POSTS

A GTU official said, "Chief Accountant R H Rajput left for Bhavnagar University as its registrar. Registrar G P Vadodaria left for LD Engineering College as its principal. So several sanctioned key posts fell vacant. Those who left have not been replaced yet. The existing officials hold additional charge of other posts." Sources added that a recruitment drive was undertaken in 2012 and 2013, but not after that. A source said, "Akshai Aggarwal has been the VC of GTU since 2008. In fact, this is his second term. His term expires on June 7 and there is no talk of his replacement yet. Usually the process of hiring another VC begins two months in advance. It is likely that even the VC's post will be a casualty of the politics and ego tussle between the varsity and the state government."

DEAN TO HOLD VC'S POST?

Speculation is rife that Rajul Gajjar, the dean, may hold additional charge of the VC's post. Sources further said that the name of GU VC M N Patel was also doing rounds for the post, but the state government is not too happy with the way he has been managing Gujarat University. GTU VC Akshai Aggarwal said, "We have some 461colleges under us with around 5 lakh students. We have a lot of work as we plan enrolments, examination, syllabus and results.
Three years ago, we had sought sanction of 455 posts, but were given approval for only 35 posts. Of those hired, many left and we were left with 28." Aggarwal further said, "Some time ago, the education department scrapped the registrar's post, too. Any university in the country needs a registrar whose role and responsibilities extend even beyond a VC's. We had to request the department to consider the post again and they approved it."

7 NEW MEMBERS IN BOARD OF GOVERNORS

Gujarat Technological University (GTU) on Saturday appointed seven new members in its Board of Governors (BOG), taking its total strength to 12. The newly appointed members are: Janak Khandwala (management category), Dr C N Patel (academician category), Amit Thakar (management category), Dr Rupesh Vasani (academician category), Pramod Chaudhary (industry representative), Rajubhai Shah (industry representative) and Parakramsinh Jadeja (industry representative). The tenure of these BOG members is three years.