Tripura University's 2012 Decision on 'Boomerang' for 2023 Recruitment: A Report

Agartala, Dec 12, 2023, By Our Correspondent

 In a surprising twist, the 2012 controversial appointment of Dr. Rajat Deb as Assistant Professor in Commerce at Tripura (Central) University has resurfaced as a contentious issue in the ongoing recruitment process for Assistant and Associate Professors. The university, through Advertisement no. F. TU/Teach-Rec/ 2023/01 dated 19.07.2023, is currently conducting recruitments for various posts under different departments.A recent development in this process has been the publication of a list of provisionally eligible candidates for the position of Associate Professor in Commerce, UR category. Out of 17 applicants, Dr. Rajat Deb, who holds an MBA, NET in Management, and Ph.D., and was appointed as Assistant Professor in Commerce in 2012 amidst controversy, finds himself back in the limelight.However, scrutiny of the list reveals a discrepancy in the screening process. Three applicants – Smt. Mahasweta Das Saha, Manish Das, and Sunil Kakkar – have been rejected with the comment 'Not from Commerce,' despite possessing similar qualifications to Dr. Deb. This has raised eyebrows as Dr. Deb, with a comparable background, has been considered a provisionally eligible candidate by the Screening Committee.The appointment of Dr. Deb in 2012 had previously sparked controversy, leading to an RTI application inquiring about his eligibility for the Assistant Professor position in Commerce. The UGC responded, citing Clause 4.4.5 of the UGC Regulation (on Minimum Qualification for Appointment of Teachers and other Academic Staff in Universities and Colleges and Measures for Maintenance of Standard in Higher Education), 2010, confirming that Dr. Deb's qualifications aligned with the requirements for teaching faculty in the Management Department.The recent recruitment process has reignited the debate on the eligibility criteria for Assistant Professor in Commerce. The interview board has sought clarification from the UGC regarding the eligibility of candidates with M. Com and MBA with NET in Management before issuing appointment letters.Previously, an RTI application in 2011 and another in 2012, raised questions about the interdisciplinary nature of the subject and the relevance of qualifications. While the UGC maintained that these matters should be decided by the appointing authority, Tripura University, in 2012, appointed Dr. Deb without following specific UGC norms, as clarified in RTI responses.The UGC, in subsequent communications, emphasized that the PIO should provide only material/information in their custody, avoiding opinions or categorical replies. However, conflicting responses from the UGC and Tripura University in 2011 and 2012 have now resurfaced, creating ambiguity in the ongoing recruitment.The current situation raises concerns about the university's adherence to guidelines and the potential impact on the credibility of the ongoing recruitment process. The possibility of the Hon’ble High Court of Tripura intervening in the matter to protect public interests, as seen in the case WP (C) 524 of 2012 & WA 18 of 2016, remains open. The decision of Tripura University in 2012 has indeed come back as a 'boomerang' in the 2023 recruitment process, inviting a renewed wave of scrutiny and debate