SHILLONG, JUN 12: In another major blow to the controversial Chandra Mohan Jha University, the Meghalaya governor Ranjit Shekhar Mooshahary Wednesday asked the state government to consider the “dissolution” of the University.
The order issued Wednesday came following the failure of the CMJ University to comply with the directives issued by the Governor on April 30 which the deadline has expired on June 10.
“The state government is accordingly being addressed to consider dissolution of University as per section 48 of the CMJ University Act, 2009,” Mooshahary stated in the order pointing out in the interest of maintaining proper standards of higher education it would be desirable that the CMJ University should be “wound-up”.
On June 10, the CMJ Foundation and University have moved the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate seeking copies of documents for the purpose of compliance of the directives.
On this, Mooshahary however said, “It thus appears that the CMJ foundation is not sincere about compliance with the directives” adding the university could have complied with the directives without recourse to the documents seized by the state police.
On April 30, the Governor also the Visitor of the University had directed the University to withdraw all degrees awarded by it so far and to stop fresh admissions besides submitting of fresh proposal for appointment of chancellor and annual reports.
The order further stated that it is unfortunate that the chairman of the CMJ Foundation, CM Jha has remained incommunicado all these days and chosen to communicate only through his counsel. Quoting his counsel that he is in Bihar attending on his sick parent, the order however observed that even if it is true it cannot be the reason for not addressing the issues for so long.
The University started functioning without the Chancellor whose appointment has not been approved by the visitor besides it functioned in gross violation of the standards and norms set by the University Grants Commission and other regulatory bodies, CMJU Act 2009, and Meghalaya Private Universities (Regulations of Establishment and Maintenance of Standards) Act 2012. “This is even more serious an offence, it constitutes a breach of trust in addition,” the Governor order stated.
However, the Governor maintained that “Even with the legally appointed Chancellor no university can be allowed to function with such fraudulent intent and vitiate the academic environment, disgrace the institution of higher learning and bring disrepute to the state where it is established.”
Earlier a division bench of the Meghalaya high court refused to entertain the writ appeal filed by the CMJ foundation, CMJ
On May 16, while adjudicating a writ petition filed by the foundation, university and Jha, the Meghalaya high court chief justice had categorically stated that the university should not admit students till the current controversy surrounding the private varsity is resolved.
Pointing out that the university has awarded B.Ed degree through distance mode without requisite approval of the regulatory bodies and affiliation, the order pointed out that B.Ed degrees awarded by the CMJ University were held to be invalid in the eye of law by the order of Gauhati High Court on May 24.
The order further pointed out that University has violated section 45 (3) and Section 46 (4) of the CMJ University Act, 2009 by not submitting the Annual Report and Annual Accounts/Balance Sheet and the Audit Report to the Visitor. It has also violated Section 41(1) of the act by establishment of endowment fund and indulged in cheating by withdrawing the deposit of Rs 210 lakhs within days of making the deposit.
It also observed that the University repeatedly acted in contravention of Section 52 of the Act in respect of maintenance of standards and other related matters applicable to private universities.
“All these established facts clearly indicate mismanagement, mal-administration, indiscipline and failure in the accomplishment of the objectives of the university, apart from criminal liability,” the order stated.
As many as four officials—Registrar Mrinal Kanti Deb, Deputy Registrar Premlal Rai, director Manjit Kaur and human resource manager Juban Kharpuri—had been arrested by the state CID. However, the university chancellor and owner, Chandra Mohan Jha is yet to be traced although a court had issued a non-bailable against him.- By Evanjoplin Dkhar
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