Telangana Governor takes serious view of complaints against JNTU-H, PJTAU Vice-Chancellors

Telangana Governor and Chancellor of State universities Shiv Pratap Shukla has expressed serious concern over mounting complaints against the Vice-Chancellors of JNTU-Hyderabad and Professor Jayashankar Telangana Agricultural University. Following a review meeting with the Telangana Council of Higher Education Chairman, the Governor sought a detailed report on administrative, academic, and recruitment issues at the earliest.

Hyderabad: Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla has taken a serious view of the state of affairs in the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU)-Hyderabad, which has been frequently hitting the headlines for wrong reasons.

Governor Shukla, who is the Chancellor of State universities, expressed displeasure over the large number of complaints being received at Lok Bhavan against Vice-Chancellor Prof. T Kishen Kumar Reddy, and also referred to the allegations against Professor Jayashankar Telangana Agricultural University Vice Chancellor Prof. Aldas Janaiah.

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The Governor here on Friday held a meeting with Telangana Council of Higher Education (TGCHE) Chairman Prof. V Balakista Reddy and inquired into the issues in the universities besides academic, administrative and recruitment progress and sought a detailed report at the earliest. He said he would soon hold a meeting with the Vice-Chancellors to discuss academic and administrative matters.

According to sources, the TGCHE has written a letter to State universities, particularly JNTU-Hyderabad, seeking information within 10 days ahead of a meeting with the Governor.

JNTU-Hyderabad student organisations have alleged that the university has been mired in scams in the last few months and raised the issue of tender manipulation, along with excessive and inappropriate interference by certain individuals in the administrative matters. The students also levelled allegations of bill ‘settlements’, claiming that a 10 percent commission was demanded for the release of pending bills.

Further, issues have also emerged over tenders for university constituent college mess facilities in Jagtial, Manthani, and Paleru, with students alleging that contracts were awarded to a blacklisted company. Tenders for security and outsourcing services have also become a bone of contention as they were issued and subsequently cancelled four times.