Jamia Hamdard Chancellor Hamid Ahmed has written to the University Grants Commission (UGC) asking to set up a committee to inquire into the alleged financial/administrative irregularities committed by Vice-Chancellor Seyed. E. Hasnain.
Mr. Ahmed, in his letter, alleged that during the administration of the current V-C, who was appointed in 2016, a culture of fraud and mismanagement has developed in the university with considerable financial implication.
Mr. Ahmed, who was appointed Chancellor by Hamdard National Foundation (HNF), which is the sponsoring body of the university, said that he would like to invoke Clause 10.12.2 E of the UGC (Institutions Deemed to be Universities) Regulations 2019, for removal of the V-C on the grounds of procedural violations and impropriety.
Taking loans
The Chancellor said that Jamia Hamdard was taking loans to meet basic expenses like salaries and electricity and it is only a matter of last resort that the sponsoring body was approaching the UGC as per regulation. He added that in the present circumstances, due to the breakdown of trust with the Vice-Chancellor, HNF was withholding its financial contributions.
The Chancellor said that the issue was also discussed at length at the Board meeting of HNF and feedback was received from the Board of Management (BOM) and Finance Committee of Jamia Hamdard and it was unanimously resolved to approach the UGC with facts.
“The sponsoring body has attempted to counsel the V-C to resolve the irregularities. However, he has continued to take arbitrary decisions inconsistent with the rules and regulations governing Jamia Hamdard,” the letter says. It added that the conduct of the V-C to the members of the sponsoring body has also been unsavoury.
Responding to the allegations, Mr. Hasnain said that these allegations are being levelled because of the university’s resolute resistance to the family’s (Hamdard) pressure to take steps that are in contravention of UGC’s applicable regulations for Deemed to be University-2019.
“We oppose any partitioning of the university that is impermissible by law. On September 2, 2020, the university has sought the Delhi High Court’s intervention by filing an appeal against the family settlement pertaining to the university. The university was set up by the Hamdard family, but now it cannot be treated like an asset of the family ever since it was declared a deemed university by the UGC,” the V-C said.
Not paying
On the allegation that the university was taking loans to meet basic expenses, the V-C said that the sponsoring body is committed to pay a certain amount every year, which it has not been for the last four years since the dispute in their family crystallised.
“The university has been told that it would have to cooperate in division of the university in two factions in order to get the funds expeditiously. As per UGC regulations 2019, there is no requirement to take approval from the HNF as the BOM is the empowered body to take all financial decisions.,” Mr. Hasnain said.
HNF member
On the appointment of the Chancellor, Mr. Hasnain said that Jamia Hamdard Memorandum of Association (MoA) is clear that the Chancellor shall neither be a member of the Hamdard National Foundation nor a close relative of the HNF president and will be appointed by a search committee. This time the president has appointed his son as the Chancellor which is against the MoA, the V-C said.
Leave request
The Chancellor has asked the UGC to send the Vice-Chancellor and the Pro-Vice-Chancellor on leave for three months till the UGC inquiry committee gives its findings and necessary orders to restore public confidence in the university and ensure fair and transparent administration for the sake of the students, faculty and staff of Jamia Hamdard. The UGC did not respond to queries regarding the allegations.