Caught in red tape, ex-VC of SNDT varsity struggles to get her pension

“In July, it will be a full year since my retirement. But I am still waiting for my pension to start. Financial loss is one thing, but the amount of mental stress and humiliation it has caused me is unimaginable. This delay is unexpected and showcases the importance given to a VC of a women’s university,” said Dr Vanjari who has been coordinating with the Joint Director (JD) offices of Mumbai and Nagpur along with the registrar office at the SNDT university to complete her pension approval process.

Vanjari was a professor in Nagpur before she took over as VC for SNDT University headquartered in Mumbai. She took the five-year charge in 2016 and retired from SNDT University in July 2016. In a recent development, her pension is pending over one document called – Adhisankya Hamipatra, a letter certifying that she was not declared a surplus staff anytime during her service.

“In April 2022, the accounts department approved my pension amount and accordingly I approached the treasury department in Nagpur to complete the documentation process. I was told that this specific document is lacking. Accordingly, I approached the registrar’s office at SNDT University. But the varsity did not provide the said information in the given proforma. It was then referred to the office of Joint Director Mumbai. Other documents including my service book are now pending at the JD Mumbai’s office,” stated the letter Vanjari has written to the JD Mumbai, earlier this week, requesting early issuance of the documents.

As The Indian Express contacted each of the offices involved, the confusion in the development of the process was evident without any conclusive information on where exactly the work is stuck.

According to Joint Director Mumbai Sonali Rode, this specific letter has to be issued by the Nagpur JD office. “Considering her pension will be in accordance with her last working post in Nagpur, this is in the purview of that office. Her proposal to consider her pension amount in accordance with the salary drawn as VC is already denied by the government and she has submitted a revised proposal now.”

When contacted, the Nagpur JD, Sanjay Thakre, called it an unfortunate case of technical delay, he said, “The movement of files seems to have taken longer. The letter certifying that she was never declared as the surplus staff is now submitted to our office and the process will be completed soon.”

According to Thakre, this was the respective university’s responsibility to proceed with the process sooner with all required documents to start the process in time.

Meanwhile, Vandana Sharma, Registrar at the SNDT University, said, “Vanjari madam has been a VC here and we have immense respect for her. Her pension approval is in process and is delayed. We will see to it that this is completed soon.”