DIMAPUR, SEPT 6 (MExN): The Nagaland University Teacher’s Association Kohima Campus has once again, come down heavily against its Vice Chancellor, accusing K Kannan of undermining the intellectual capacity of the Nagas since his arrival to the university. The Central Executive Council of the NUTA, the apex body of teaching community from the three campuses of Kohima, Lumami and Medzhiphema, submitted a representation to the Nagaland Governor asking for the Chief Rector to recommend to the Visitor, President of India, to ‘recall’ Professor K Kannan.
Professor Kannan has been accused with continuously defaming teachers and research scholars and violating the autonomy of academics departments by intruding into classrooms and misbehaving with teachers and students. “He has failed to maintain the decorum of the chair he holds in this university” stated the members of the executive council. The VC is further said to have threatened their ‘freedom of expression’ and inspite of various representations for recruitment of a Finance Officer, the present incumbent continues to hold the said post against all norms in central universities.
The association also mentioned that the VC had violated norms of screening and selection during the recent interviews for many academic departments held on July where heads of departments and senior professors of certain departments were not included in the screening committee. It went to add that some of the selection committees like Archaeology and Tenyidie were without the presence of subject experts and despite pertinent issues having been raised on it by the association, he had rectified it. Again on September 5, Prof. Kannan is said to have ‘created history’ by inviting two Deputy Commissioners of the state including the Principal Secretary P & AR, as subject experts during the recent interview for management which was appropriately declined.
The NUTAK also expressed resentment towards the VC’s plans to establish the fourth campus at Dimapur with the institutes of Engineering and Management as the Government had already allotted land for the purpose at Meriema.
They questions the sensibility of the VC renting two government buildings and a private one in Dimapur for the sum of Rs. 5 lakhs per month for the institutes which were approved to be under Kohima campus and sanctions seven crores for infrastructure.
The Vice Chancellor is further accused of failing to rectify the illegal placement of teachers who were selected through Open Category but adjusted against ST by his predecessor, the practice which, it stated, was a violation of the constitutional rights and reducing of ST quota in the teaching post in the University. The association also out rightly termed the VC promise to students and public that he would open 9 to 10 colleges in every district, as ridiculous and preposterous. They claimed that it amounted to fooling the public and the Ministry of Human Resources had been informed of his statement as no permission had been given. Instead, it expressed concern over Kannan’s failure to grant permanent affiliation to many existing colleges which had applied for the same.
