After teachers, Magadh University staff face the heat

GAYA: After registration of criminal cases against 22 senior teachers of Magadh University (MU), the state government on Friday directed the university authorities to lodge FIR against non-teaching employees who facilitated registration of students of non-affiliated colleges and issued them admit cards.
A fraud case was lodged against 22 senior MU teachers, including some retired teachers, on July 13 for allegedly helping a Nawada-based college in fraudulently managing government affiliation without infrastructure and faculty strength.
Education department deputy secretary Arshad Firoz issued a 20-page letter addressed to the MU registrar on Friday, mentioning the names of colleges found unfit for affiliation.
The unaffiliated colleges are spread over seven districts, including Patna, Nalanda, Arwal, Jehanabad and Nawada. Colleges located in Patna and Nalanda districts are now tagged to Pataliputra University. However, exams in colleges located in Patna and Nalanda districts for 2016-19 and 2017-20 sessions is to be conducted by MU. Pataliputra University was carved out of the MU in March last year.
The education department has asked the MU authorities to identify the employees responsible for registration and acceptance of exam forms of students of non- affiliated colleges. Administrative as well as legal action has been recommended against such staff. Apart from university staff, action may also be taken against principals and other officials of different colleges.
The education department has also directed the MU to notify the list of colleges which do not have affiliation for the 2019-20 session.
The government letter contains a list of about 100 colleges found unfit for affiliation due to academic and infrastructural deficiencies. Altogether 33 of non-affiliated colleges are located in Gaya district alone and 22 in Patna district.
The letter said the results of students of unaffiliated colleges, who have already appeared in the degree level exam conducted by the university, will be declared soon.
MU public relations officer S N P Deen said he has not gone through the contents of the letter. “The letter will be placed before the syndicate, the university’s executive body, for necessary action,” the PRO added.