Two eminent academics who have been appointed as registrars of Bangalore University, were humiliated when they went to assume office on Monday morning.
Dr MG Krishnan, who was on Friday appointed as registrar (administration) and Prof MS Talwar, who was appointed as registrar (evaluation), went to meet Vice-Chancellor Dr N Prabhu Dev to take charge of their new postings. They had received their appointment orders earlier in the day.
The vice-chancellor curtly asked them not to take charge and wait for a day. “The V-C told us that he was expecting some instructions from the chief minister by the evening and asked us not to report for duty today,” Dr Krishnan said.
The registrar-appointees continued to wait before Dr Prabhu Dev’s office for over five hours. At around 2.30 pm, the they got a call from the higher education department officials and were asked to send a fax addressed to the principal secretary, higher education department, stating that they have reported to work. “We were advised by the department officials to report to work today itself, following which we reported to work in writing, handed over the letter to the V-C’s office and got an acknowledgement for the same,” Dr Krishnan said.
But more shock awaited them when they went to take charge of their offices. “The office rooms were locked,” Dr Krishnan said. Protocol, however, demands that the V-C’s office sends a vehicle to bring newly-appointed registrars when they take charge. “I am hurt by the V-C’s behaviour, but it was very much expected. This is the way he conducts himself. But we are glad that the government has decided to appoint teachers as registrars for the first time. It does not matter who the appointee is; it could be me or anyone else,” Dr Krishnan said.
Sources from the higher education department told DNA that the department would not go back on the appointments. “They have reported to work and will start working from Tuesday,” said a top department official.
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