The Indian shipping ministry is seemingly resolved on unleashing and exerting its bureaucratic whimsicalities upon the shoulders of the Indian Maritime University- a much revered institute belonging to the maritime fraternity. A series of steps and imposed orders thrust upon the institute by the shipping ministry is already showing telling signs throughout the establishment about the possibilities of not so pleasant days that lie in store in the near future.
Recently the new executive committee of the university carried out a contagiously executed series of abominable steps that they feel were for the betterment of the university’s prospects. They not only terminated the controller of examinations and the financial officer but also struck down the appointment of 31 permanent teachers.
The fault of the rebuffed teachers lay in the fact that they were appointed by G Raghuram, the former VC of the university. Interestingly, Raghuram resigned from the university’s services on multiple aesthetically and morally controversial issues pertaining to transparency and diligence in running the university.
Eminent academicians say that IMU is being tormented and abused by the ministry who are nothing but exercising their unquestionable authoritative status by wielding their power on the helpless faculty and academicians thus indirectly making the students pay for their malefactions. It is unnecessary to state that the recent spate of actions and events occurring across the university authorities behind closed doors is leaving the students with an uncertain future in the reckoning.
The most unfortunate event that came as a colossal jolt to the students was the cancellation of the appointments of so many teachers only after their new academic session had resumed. Not only it will shatter their morale but their academics will also take a severe blow without doubt.
A Kalinidhi who happens to be one of IMU’s senior executive committee members who also happened to be the former VC of Anna University said, “The shipping ministry has done great damage to the university. The officials have sacked 19 faculty members and 2 senior officials based on some frivolous charges.”
The flustered members of the executive council alleged that meetings were nothing but mere eyewashes for the outside world. They are held just to impose the ministry’s decisions on the university. It has also been asserted that the termination of the teachers was done solely based on the reports presented by the Captain Mohan Committee. Astoundingly, the steps were carried out by the authorities without the President’s cognizance.
Ironically, G K Vasan the union shipping minister and P K Sinha the former shipping secretary had earlier promised the non-termination of the teachers which has now turned out to be a deceit enacted by the top brass of the country’s shipping fraternity.
Earlier this month, two executive council members of the IMU resigned from their posts alleging abuse of powers and intrusiveness of the ministry. Reportedly the current VC of IMU is a puppet head in the ministry’s hands. James Joseph a former member of the executive council wrote to the President how the whimsicalities of the shipping ministry are ruining the institute. He also wrote that the ministry is oblivious of the ground realities of the Chennai based institute and parsimoniously holds meetings in New Delhi.
Tags:
University
Imu
Teacher
Shipping
