RGNUL Patiala’s finances and its vice-chancellor (VC) Paramjit Jaswal‘s tenure has been under scrutiny from the state’s Higher Education Department, with multiple sources strongly suggesting that Jaswal may have tendered his as-yet unaccepted resignation in response.
The Tribune reported late yesterday that:
As per documents in possession with The Tribune, the office of Directorate, Education Department (Colleges), has demanded explanation from the RGNUL about its income and expenditure over the years.
In particular, this includes several construction contracts allegedly handed out without a tender, which we understand had resulted in the education department asking Jaswal for an explanation and further details.
Notably, RGNUL has never published its accounts on its website, with Jaswal telling us in March 2019 that he was amenable to publication of its accounts but that this could also cause malicious misinterpretation.
According to the Tribune, “rumours of Vice-Chancellor Dr Paramjit Singh Jaswal having tendered his resignation started doing the rounds”, but neither the paper nor we have been able to authoritatively confirm this, though a large number of our campus sources claim to also be aware of his resignation, though none had seen a copy of his resignation letter first hand.
Update 00:07: The Hindustan Times has quoted an anonymous higher education department official as saying, amongst other things: “The Punjab government has funded the university to the tune of Rs 220 crore, and it has every right to ask how the money was spent … whether the rules were followed or not. CAG has left out several areas which need proper investigation. The university took grants from the state government, but didn’t supply a single audit report to the education department.” The official also said: “While the Punjabi University has slipped into a debt of Rs 130 crore in the past one decade, RGNUL made fixed deposits of Rs 48 crore. Why they concealed these facts from the Punjab government?”
We have reached out to Jaswal for comment repeatedly over the last few days but he had declined to confirm or deny his having tendered his resignation, nor comment on the department’s inquiry.
One student speculated that Jaswal’s resignation, if true, could also be a sophisticated strategic gambit on Jaswal’s behalf to counter any inquiry, at a time when no state government or chancellor (who would have to formally accept a VC’s resignation) probably has interest in the rigmarole of appointing a new head of a national law school.
(A relevant case in point here might also be NLU Delhi’s search for the successor of VC Prof Ranbir Singh, which has been pending for nearly seven months now since October 2019; Jaswal, incidentally, according to several NLU Delhi sources, is one of three candidates recommended by the search committee for the job, subject to the chancellor’s final selection, which has not been forthcoming due to Covid-19).
The student speculating on Jaswal’s resignation noted that Jaswal had verbally indicated that he would resign also during discussions in the wake of the student protests more than a year ago, which had been effective in bringing students, the university’s chancellor and Jaswal to a discussion table to eventually hammer out a compromise.
Students have been digging
Over the last year, RGNUL students had been collecting a number of Right to Information (RTI) replies from the university, highlighting some potential irregularities in RGNUL’s accounts.
On 31 August 2019, students had then anonymously (for “fear of backlash”) sent an 11-page letter to the principal secretary Technical Education & Industrial Training, Punjab, Anurag Verma (IAS), with a list of grievances and in particular highlighting some of these potential issues, a copy of which we have seen.
The students noted that a “forensic audit” of RGNUL’s accounts was required.
Those student grievances are neither new nor over: only in March, we had reported that students were aggrieved that their hard-fought-for inquiry report presided over by a judge against a former senior RGNUL staff member, was not being provided to them under RTI.
That inquiry had followed protests in March 2019 against Jaswal and the administration, and the engagement and a campus visit by the National Commission for Women in May 2019.
Students had also requested state for Covid fee waiver
More recently, 726 RGNUL students had sent a petition to the state government requesting a waiver of university fees, due to the Covid-19 crisis.
The students had requested a waiver of any annual increase in tuition fees, a rebate of late fees and a partial refund of already paid fees, such as amenities, moot court, mess and campus development fund fees (since the campus remained closed due to Covid-19).
The students had written:
With due respect, this is to bring to your kind attention the economic stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and extended lockdowns on the families of RGNUL students. The cataclysmic damage caused to the various sectors of Indian Economy are unprecedented. At the micro level, this has hit the financial condition of many households across the country. In this scenario, many parents/guardians find it difficult to pay the fees for the next semester…
We understand that the Punjab chief minister’s office has forwarded the students’ request to the education department for consideration as per government policy.
Comments
1. Financial irregularities;
2. Deliberate delay on part of Jaswal, NLUD VC Ranbir Singh with the aid of the PA to the CJ to get the RGNUL Student Bar Association Constitution approved;
3. Inaccessibility of the Manjit Kaur report on the inquiry into SP Singh's derelict measures including sexual harassment and casteism.
The academic vigor at RGNUL is a joke. The EC ratification of a provision by way of which teachers who organise events are entitled to 40% of the unused funds has proved to be [...]. Jaswal and Naresh Nuts (the temporary Registrar appointed without any notification under emergency powers; continuing under such appointment since the last two years) are bent on taking RGNUL down with them. Jaswal cares not for any reputation of RGNUL anymore. He's bent on exacting vengeance on the institution for not bearing silently with his [...] maladministration.
Please do not drag ranbir singh, officiating VC, NLU-D into this controversy. He has nothing to do with it.
RS and PSJ are hand in gloves in devising ways to prevent effective student bodies coming into place. Both NLUD and RGNUL need a coordinated movement to ensure that they don't become complacent and suffice for peanuts in the stead of effective SBAs.
[Ed: Moderated for obvious trolling.]
Has there been a similar concerted effort to get Srividya in? In my limited interactions with her, she did not seem very adept at playing the apex-grade political game needed to land a post like NLUD VC. In that case, chances are, a well established TLC-BCI person stands better positioned to be selected.
Just thinking out loud.
Also, does Dr. Ragavan has any administrative experience? From her profile it seems even in the US system she has none, let alone India. She has been away from India at least since 2001/2002. How will she manage the faculty and non-techning politics and the state government which recetly forced 50% reservation on the university (which RS had been pushing against for 10 years)?
She is a brilliant IP professor, but what NLUD needs is not another great professor/ teacher (at least as a VC) but a very strong administrator.
Additionally, and will appreciate feedback on this - in Sudhir's case he has a strong network in Oxford and Columbia. Dr. Ragavan's US Law School is not even in top 60 in United States. Her previous institution where she spent over 10 years is outside of top 75.
Moreover, Sudhir will be able to tap in the NLS alumni network but being away for India for almost 20 years it may be hard for Dr. Ragavan plus the alumni themselves may prefer to support NLS over NLUD. Unlike NLS where Sudhir will probably hire a lot of younger nlu almnus in the faculty recruitment drive soon, NLUD already has over 40 permnanent faculty with not much scope for new recruitments. Most of them are from traditional law schools and older than Dr. Raghvan. With the inter faculty issues between nlu - non nlud groups already rising and issue between the lobby headed by Bajpai and the one against, it will not be a smooth ride for even a traditional/experienced VC, let alone her.
Also will she make a commitment for 10 years and leave her US job? The other issue is if not her then who? Jaiswal will clearly be a disaster. Vijaykumar, the only other decent choice could not apply. Maybe VC Vivekanandan? Experienced, more dynamic than most others, relatively young. Or maybe SKD - status quo having experience at NLUD at a time when the college was getting established and hiring young faculy, focuding on research.
AW has been at IPU for almost 20 years - as a Dean of Law school twice and before that at ILI dealt with faculty, non-techning staff, the Delhi government and the University bureaucracy. Plus is probably as good a family law teacher and VCV is an IP teacher.
Very honestly, why were you surprised that he is ranked before SR and VCV? Maybe that's one of the issues - we think someone with a flashy degree will come and fix everything wrong with an nlu (actually at nlud its actually not bad compared to most others). We do not need good academicians at law schools - there are enough in every (but at least at nlud). We want people who can support them and implement their ideas. NLUD already has two great IP academics, it does not need a SV to come and add to that. It needs SV to deal with Delhi government to get the 10 crores of grant that nlud gets every years (and after a lot of fight). It needs all the judges (including the CJI or their rep.), the politicians (Singhvi and Jaitely till very recently) to show up for the GC Meetings (which they all have for at least 10 years). It probably needs someone who is okay with their academic career to take a backseat for 5 (or 10) years. Between these three (not discussing the others who were apparantly interviewed) it seems to me that AW may actually be the most qualified.
In past, some persons have smartly hopped from one NLU to another NLU as VCs because of these kinds of arrangements in place before their joining. Lots of giving and taking are promised before the appointment of a VC in any Indian University, more so in the rotten NLUs which have become pocket burroughs of fixers like RS.
1. NLSIU (Sudhir K)
2. NLUD (Srividhya R, from 1 Jan 2021)
3. RGNUL (Nigam N, from 1 Jan 2021)
4. HNLU (VCV)
5. NLIU (V Vijaykumar)
PJ wanted to wing his time at RGNUL somehow (mostly with the aid of his contacts in judiciary) till his name got finalized as NLUD VC. Unfortunately, COVID disrupted the process and sent the matter into indefinite limbo. Now RS is himself in a bit of trouble with Delhi labour ministry despite the domicile reservation gambit (which has now ended up in the court). There is a strong possibility that GSB will succeed him. Only PJ had the smarts to outrace GSB.
NUJS previously, and now RGNUL shows that sustained and pointed demands for transparency, especially by students (since significant sections of Faulty and admin are always complicit in sustaining corrupt VCs) can cause disruption in corrupt fiefdoms. PIB then, PJ now. What happens next will be interesting. Will PJ like PIB try to give a post-dated resignation and then get his contacts to internally scuttle his exit. Students need to sustain a push here, else PJ will succeed in bending the EC to his will. It is not just the "persuasive" skills of PJ that gets the EC to rubber stamp but also the plural complicity of several EC members.
If forensic audits are actually pursued without fear or favour, then several NLUs and their VCs (past and present) will come out with pants down. This also brings into question what kind of reviews do the Univ Review Commissions do (when they are even activated) and do their reviews even matter? This also raises troubling questions concerning the role of reps from judiciary and the futility of have CJs and CJIs as Chancellors. Despite star studded ECs etc, VCs and Faulty minions continue to run corrupt administrations with elan.
https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/chandigarh/rgnul-cleanest-among-government-residential-varsities-869807
Not so clean https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/patiala/department-launches-probe-into-patiala-law-varsity-finances-88572
The law schools where demands for "transparency and merit" were the loudest are faring the worst. CNLU, GNLU and NUJS are all on a downward spiral. Their VCs keep getting worse and worse, student politics is rife and pretty much nothing has happened to the faculty scene. On the contrary the better faculty have steadily slipped away for better pastures.
Please publish Kian. Even if you want to censor some content.
Since PIB left, Nujs has cemented itself as the No. 4 choice pretty much. Soon that will perhaps become No. 5, depending on how Jindal or NLUJ continue. Good young faulty members have left and a bunch of dinosaurs have been appointed in their place (Rumour has it another two are looking out). Journals such as the recent one on 'Regulatory Studies' have come out with articles on plankton and seawater, and common author for 70% articles. There has been a series of mess ups in examinations, student association and gradation and only a person living in a cave would think things "have improved". Meanwhile the students continue their time-tested skill of making allegations and letter writing. Yawn.
Back to the point, it's telling that the only thing you could think of in trying to defend NUJS' downward slide has been a moot court victory and a rhodes scholarship. Really? I mean by that logic there were two rhodes in 3 years during Bhat's time.
Anyway, the reality is that applicants are increasingly choosing to stay away from NUJS (NLUD being a better draw). At the last CLAT 31 applicants took NLUD / NLUJ over NUJS, thats how many vacancies were there. Recruiters care little for moots and rhodes but they do care about attitude, knowledge and hard work and this last two year period of interregnum and now the new VC have pretty much made the No.4 position pretty certain.
When I point out how NUJS has slipped in preference, slipped in governance, slipped in everything except a big feeling of self-worth it "lacks basis". But when you say its "still doing quite well" this is to be accepted as gospel.
When I point out that applicants pass over NUJS, its "anonymous opinion". But when you acknowledge that applicants pass over NUJS its due to being misguided by "bad press or baseless mudslinging".
Why keep up this charade? Leaving aside your lawyering (which reminds me of the dime-a-dozen lawyers milling around Tis Hazari and their ad nauseam "denials" of plain facts), have you staked your savings on some rosy perception of NUJS?
But coming back to your statement that NUJS is "still doing quite well", if by "doing well" you mean it's a preferred choice for applicants, has an enlightened forward looking VC, publishes quality stuff (or any law-related stuff), attracts good faculty, is improving infrastructure (or even has basic infrastructure), well then then you may as well be in Wonderland.
Because if you are referring to this (https://www.livelaw.in/news-updates/labour-ministry-of-delhi-urges-nlu-d-university-to-negotiate-for-100-retention-of-housekeeping-staff-updated-153924) all it says that the ministry has urged nlud to negotiate or to come up with a new contract.
Also, can you please enlighten us on the role that labour ministry plays in the running of nlud including its finances? Also, please share more on why the reservation was a gambit (you seem to suggest that nlud/RS wanted it, planned it to maybe in good books of government?).
As has already been asked how will GSB be the next VC? You understand that there is an application process, a shortlist was made, people were called for interviews and GSB was not among them?
Maybe either know what is happening or just go and generally be safe in the quarantine.
[quote]HNLU Raipur’s students will try to convince vice chancellor professor Paramjit Singh Jaswal today to stay at the college, after he was appointed to join RGNUL Patiala as its new vice chancellor after less than three months into his new job at HNLU....
“He was great I should say,” said the student. “He was doing real good here, we had already seen the difference.”
[/quote]
https://www.legallyindia.com/lawschools/hnlu-raipur-fights-to-stop-rgnlu-poaching-3-month-old-vc-20110201-1753
Vice Chancellor Prof. Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law (RGNUL) Punjab, Patiala. Paramjit Singh Jaswal has resigned. It is believed that some people from the university and outside were trying to tarnish his image. Tired of this, he sent his resignation to the Punjab-Haryana High Court on Wednesday.
According to sources, last year, there was a strike in RGNUL for more than 15 days. Funding was done by some people from Patiala and Chandigarh to continue that strike. During this time some of the Vice Chancellor's people had a dispute. Even after this he resigned but was not accepted.
There was a dispute in the registrar case
Apart from this, there was a dispute about the post of Registrar. According to sources, he refused to give extension to a registrar. He wanted to give charge to a teacher but he was charged with many charges. After this, his image was being tainted through Twitter etc.
Pro. Paramjeet has many offer
sources say that his name is also in the forefront for the post of Vice Chancellor of National Law University Delhi. Apart from this, he has offers from many other universities for the post of Vice Chancellor. At the same time, when Prof. When I tried to contact Paramjeet about this, his phone got locked.
Will be interesting to know who were the EC and FC members who approved (rubber stamped?) the works and amounts that CAG red flagged. Why aren't the students demanding access to complete records of EC, FC, AC, infra committee etc records? Be assured paperwork will magically disappear, "poor record" keeping will be cited and other excuses to ensure that the paper trail goes cold thus sabotaging any robust case against PJ and Co.
HPNLU, you know what you have to do. There is no empirical and conclusive evidence that the fairer sex are less corrupt. And it's a duet anyway. Demand forensic audit and access to records.
Amar Ujala needs to be taken to task. It either produces info about the bribery slur on students else it needs to prominently issue an apology.
www.tribuneindia.com/news/patiala/after-government-snub-rgnul-reverses-decision-over-conducting-of-exams-83433
Oh God. PJ is claiming that work under the Punjab and Haryana HC and therefore needn't bother about what the govt has to say. Interestingly, the same HC had earlier come up with dubious arguments to deny students access to the inquiry report against SPS. The "Chancellor" who oversaw the appointment of PJ is a recent but (in)famous parliamentarian. This HC also loaned judicial officers to the SC who took the lead in the horrible suppression and distortion of a sexual harassment complaint against the aforementioned parliamentarian.
The HC is again manufacturing excuses here again on the issue of PJ resignation. Guess they are trying to facilitate a compromise, which at a minimum involves PJ to continue as caretaker VC till a successor is "found". This successor will likely be someone who will ensure that the ills of PJ and Co are hushed up. Business as usual shall continue again.
Want an example? Look East. NUJS.
Corrupt VC and their minions will continue. Kian it is time to scrutinize the EC members and their workings, especially the reps from Judiciary who are actually given a wide berth by state govt reps. What is the point of having the former when their presence cannot guard against corruption and/or they are complicit?
Does anyone really actually even know what is happening? The two names people at NLS kept taking and were most excited about were MS and AC from NLU Delhi. Both have confirmed that they are not leaving (and didn't even apply I think).
That is not to say, he will not attract some good young faculty but let's not say that people will uproot their life and come running to nagarbhavi (especially since Sudhir maybe be gone in 5 years or 10), for them it'll be a tenure job (unlike him - he's not a faculty at NLS).
Sandeep was Dean at Deakin, is now a VC at a University. Why will he ever come to a public university here. Shyam is a tenure Professor at Penn and he will leave that and come here? Also, weird is that he won't even qualify for VC in India because he has been Professor only for 6 years till now. Deepa again does not meet the 10 years rule but also apart from Sandeep what qualifications as administrator do they have? With Shyam you can argue the Penn/ Yale network (since he did his JD). Deepa did her LLM/PhD from Pace which is ranked 136 and is now at Chapman which is at 111. While individually she may be great - but what does she get to a law school?
Jindal recently was ranked in 100-150 (though different ranking), so by that logic everyone at Jindal should be a VC? and probably at NLS because that was in top 200.
The AG of Punjab came to the University and apologised for violation of due process in the suspension and violation of privacy of students.
SP Singh was suspended and an inquiry instituted by a magistrate, with a report produced ('Manjit Kaur Inquiry Report') which has till date been suppressed by the University.
The NCW took Suo Motu cognizance after the Mediation Agreement (surreptitiously via a second page which wasn't disclosed to general student body by the admin) asked students to retract their complaint. The NCW findings are in public domain for everyone to see about gross violations.
Multiple RTI responses have evinced maladministration.
Students get no information about financials of their own University. The little the University started disclosing after the protest is barely disclosure.
After all this - do students still need to be paid to protest. Amar Ujala ought to have asked for proof. Highly irresponsible journalism. The editors and the journalists should be taken to task.
Guys, have an open mind and learn from what he has done for the institute. Can any of you get up and do this in such a short span of time! It’s easy to find faults but not easy to talk about the positives of a person.
Re: thought process of Education Department, lesser said about the Babus and their mentality, the better. Wish they matured with the changing times and stopped meddling with others’ affairs! Any genuine clarifications, if not already done, would be duly addressed. Talking of Babus, do read Chetan Bhagat’s blog of May 24, on convulated govt. circulars.
If you are a true and honest person, you would stand united with your faculty in these hard times and come out stronger. Anything less than that would give ammunition to outsiders to play around and make a mockery of you.
Second, saying that "Don't be negative, he's doing his best" is something you can say to a small child trying to colour within the lines using crayon and not the head of a university, where hundreds of students study and are affected by all decisions. PSJ should be less sensitive, the responsibility and pressure comes with the job. If he wanted to sit and keep mucking about, he should have stayed at that small time private college where he was in the past.
He is not a law professor, does not have a law degree. Has no clout in Punjab Government or P&H HC. Maybe realise that its not as much a cabal (except for when RS wants) as we all try and make it.
The unanswered question now is why has the EC meeting not been conducted so far. For starters, the EC consists of representatives from four stakeholders, (1) Higher Judiciary, (2) Bar Councils, (3) Government of Karnataka and (4) Permanent Faculty at NLSIU. So it is quite possible that CJI Bobde has simply not given a date for holding the meeting as yet. A physical meeting would be difficult to organise anytime soon owing to the risks associated with inter-city travel. An online meeting can only happen if the SC Judges and the Bar Representatives consent to the same. So instead of berating Sudhir here on this forum, the interested parties should perhaps write to him directly and suggest that he proposes an online meeting to all the members. This is easier said than done. Apart from formally approving the faculty recruitments, the NLSIU EC also needs to take a call on the implementation of the domiciliary quotas and review several issues related to the financial health of the institution.
Those who are asking for the names of the selected candidates to be publicised are clearly not aware of how public institutions work. Disclosing the names prior to formal approval by the EC could lead to more frivolous litigation by unsuccessful candidates and unwarranted allegations of favouritism and bias. Furthermore, it would be unfair to the selected candidates themselves since it is their personal decision as to whether they should join NLSIU or continue at their present institutions.
Lastly, the mythical claims about the existence of 'Sudhir-Bhakts' and blind beliefs in his abilities need to be debunked. No one was arguing that he can single-handedly change the course of the institution. Alumni and students had mobilised in his support because his name had been duly recommended by the Search-cum-Selection Committee (consisting of Dr. M.P. Singh, Mr. K.K. Venugopal and Mr. Arvind Datar) but some senior professors and BCI members were intentionally delaying the procedural requirements. It was evident to everyone that there are several issues that need to be addressed, ranging from rampant financial corruption, hiring of several sub-standard teachers in ad-hoc positions and the neglect of basic academic processes under the previous V-C. Restoring the academic and fiscal health of the institution is an ongoing process and decisive steps have been taken in that direction. The present students of course have their own immediate grievances with Sudhir since he will not continue the 'Yes, Permitted' culture. They are given a fair opportunity to express their views and have to get used to a Vice-Chancellor who will also ask them difficult questions in return. This round of faculty recruitments is of course an important step in restoring a semblance of academic standards. So let us wait and see who ends up joining.
2. Various LI comments threads have done that over the last couple of years. If you just wish to have the info, search them up. If the ends you seek are different, then kindly share with us as well.
@Kian - is that you BTW?
11 people were invited for the interview after the shortlist. Three names have been sent to the GC and the selection will be done by the GC headed by CJI. A little confused who among all these is corrupt? ANd genuingly asking because if that is the case I am sure the students will want to do seomthing
P.S. I was in the first batch of nalsar, we didn't even have classrooms, hardly anybody ever complained and got on with things.
The times have changed, people are having to take loans to pay the obscene fees (nearly two lakhs) being charged and they have every right to question the authorities. This is not being anti-establishment for the sake of being anti-establishment, but merely seeking to ensure that the hard earned money being paid is being utilized in the correct manner.
As with DukhPal at HNLU, PJ also extracted a second tenure illegally.
Kian, please update this story or write a fresh piece which digs deep on the issue of illegal second term of PJ. Is this similar to what had happened at HNLU?
Is opacity an inherent part of our sanskar? To not speak truth to power? Hypocrisy is our sanskar.
Agreed that BB founder is from NLS. But LL and mainstream media also covered this https://www.livelaw.in/news-updates/nlsiu-alumni-network-raises-funds-to-lease-chartered-air-asia-flight-from-mumbai-to-ranchi-to-airlift-stranded-migrant-workers-157385?infinitescroll=1
https://www.telegraphindia.com/states/jharkhand/180-jharkhand-migrants-to-fly-in-from-mumbai/cid/1776476
How did you miss this?
The "vc" of Rgnul never ever did anything for the benefit of his students; students have been hard working (our seniors batchmates and juniors) tried their best to go participate at diff events, competitions and some have even gone on to study at the best universities of llm, sadly, at every turn thy were discouraged by the admin and the vc - we were offered NO support. At every turn we were put down and discouraged from participation. Whatever they (admin and vc and few faculty members in power) did, they did for their "fav" students.
I wish for a day when my uni becomes more transparent and is less interested in robbing their students.
the lid on the atrocities at rgnul is barely open.
Please be aware before hiring him
Kian, you missed this as well. Didn't this university mess but also make huge profits when it was convenor of CLAT earlier? Two previous VCs here reportedly had financial mismanagement charges on them but were quietly allowed to go.
The brazenness of this "entrepreneurial" Noojie amazes me.