Saurashtra University to decide registrar’s fate soon

Express News Service: Thu Dec 16 2010,

Rajkot : Saurasthra University’s Senate and Syndicate members will soon meet to decide whether to continue the services of registrar Gagendra Jani, whose appointment to the post has been marred by controversy.

It is learnt that a committee formed by the Governor, who is also the university chancellor, has reportedly validated allegations that Jani was appointed despite being ineligible for the post.

The inquiry committee comprising retired Gujarat High Court judge L A Pathan, former state additional secretary J D Mahida and UGC under secretary Narayan Singh has submitted its report to Governor Kamla Beniwal, who forwarded it to SU Vice-Chancellor Kamlesh Joshipura.

“I have received the report from the Governor, which will soon be tabled before senate and syndicate members. The resolution passed by both the houses will be submitted to the Governor,” said Joshipura.

Senate members Nidat Barot and Mahesh Chauhan, and syndicate member Dharam Kambaliya had questioned the eligibility of Jani after he was appointed registrar on May 3, 2007. They had raised doubts over the double postgraduate degree certificates and experience certificate produced by Jani to seek the appointment.

According to the qualification documents produced by Jani, he has done LLB from a Porbandar college during 1999-2003.

The certificate for Masters in Social Work produced by him shows he did the course from 1999 to 2001. Besides, he has produced a five-year experience certificate, from 1999-2000, as the Chief Executive

Officer with Gitanjali College, which is owned by his brother.

“LLB is a full-time course. To and fro distance between Rajkot and Porbandar is around 500 kms. How did Jani manage to do a full-time course at Porbandar and a master’s degree programme from SU while executing the responsibilities of CEO of a Rajkot college?” said Kambaliya, who obtained Jani’s certificates through a RTI query. The senate members have also raised questions over the functioning of a committee consisting of the vice-chancellor and pro vice-chancellor that scrutinises registrar’s appointment.