After an inquiry by the Divisional Commissioner and objections from the Haryana Education Department, the Principal Accountant General (Audit), Haryana, has now flagged procedural lapses in the appointment of the wife of the Vice-Chancellor of Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University (HAU) as Director of the Campus School.
The audit report, procured by activist Harshdeep Singh Gill, states that the appointment “indicates procedural irregularities and deviation from established recruitment norms, as calling a candidate by name on deputation without inviting applications from eligible officers violates principles of fairness, transparency, and equal opportunity”.
The appointment of Santosh Kumari as Director, Campus School, was examined by the Office of the Principal Accountant General (Audit), Haryana, which recorded an audit observation titled “Non-adherence to Prescribed Recruitment Procedures”.
The observation refers to provisions of the University Act and statutes governing appointments to university services. These prescribe that appointments should be made through established procedures, including direct recruitment, promotion, transfer within the university in identical pay scales, or deputation of eligible employees from government or autonomous bodies.
According to the audit, the Campus School had projected a requirement for the post of Assistant Director (Campus School). However, the proposal specifically identified Santosh Kumari, then Principal of Government Senior Secondary School, Mangali, in the Education Department, Haryana, for appointment on deputation.
The audit noted that no advertisement was issued or published for filling the post of Assistant Director (Campus School), thereby denying other eligible candidates an opportunity to apply.
It further observed that instead of appointing Santosh Kumari as Assistant Director (Campus School), the vacant post of Public Relations Officer was redesignated as Director, Campus School.
As per the audit record, Santosh Kumari joined the university as Director, Campus School, on December 16, 2022, on deputation after obtaining a no-objection certificate from the Director, Secondary Education, Haryana. Subsequently, the Board of Management, at its meeting on February 9, 2024, approved and regularised her continuance as Director, Campus School, the audit report said.
The audit further observed that identifying a particular individual for deputation without inviting applications from other eligible officers deprived similarly situated candidates of an opportunity to be considered.
It also recorded that redesignation of the Public Relations Officer post as Director, Campus School, without documented justification, statutory approval or amendment of the applicable recruitment framework could have implications for cadre management and financial administration.
The Principal Accountant General (Audit), Haryana, has sought clarification and verification of relevant facts and records from the university.
Notably, the Divisional Commissioner’s inquiry report had also observed that the Vice-Chancellor violated university statutes while appointing his wife as Director of the Campus School.
The Directorate of School Education had also stated that there were no rules or instructions regarding the absorption of a government employee into any public undertaking or university when Santosh Kumari had sought transfer of pro rata pensionary benefits, General Provident Fund and gratuity contributions to her new job as Director of the Campus School at HAU. Vice-Chancellor Prof BR Kamboj did not respond to calls seeking his version.