RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, Oct.8: Almost 21 months after the gazette notification for the establishment of Baba Baidyanath Sanskrit University with its headquarter in Deoghar, the appointment of vice-chancellor (VC) for the university has not been done.
Due to a delay in appointment, three Sanskrit Colleges running in the state in Ranchi, Chaibasa, and Deoghar are not getting the required strength to run properly.
“Presently all Sanskrit colleges are constituent units of Vinoba Bhave University, Hazaribagh. The university administration does not provide adequate staff saying that the Sanskrit University for which notification has already been done will send a requisition to Jharkhand Public Service Commission and the recruitment agency will provide the required strength. For this, a vice-chancellor is required but so far no vice-chancellor has been appointed,” a Sanskrit scholar said requesting anonymity.
The former head of the postgraduate department of Sanskrit at Ranchi University, Chandrakant Shukla, who has received the ‘Presidential Award of Certificate of Honour for lifetime achievement’ in the field of Sanskrit language and literature, confirmed the situation expressing his concern over the matter.
“Sanskrit University should start running immediately in the state. Due to its lack, higher education in Sanskrit has been badly hampered. Students having Shastri degree have to go outside the state for the degree of Acharya. Apart from this, research work is also not happening,” Shukla said.
An insider of Rajkiya Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya, Kishoreganj in Ranchi supported Shukla saying how understaffed the college is.
“Against the sanctioned strength of 14, including 10 teachers, two-third staff, and two fourth grade staff, it has only two teachers and two third grade staff. The college does not have any contingency funds to maintain its building and campus. Due to this, the building which was constructed just five years ago has started looking old,” the insider said.
A student associated with the college said that due to lack of contingency funds, the college collects Rs 500 per student at the time of admission and manages electricity bills while teachers had to make arrangements of chalks and dusters from their own pocket.
“The college imparts free education up to Shastri (equivalent to B.A. Hons) but to have some amount in its kitty for necessary expenses it collects Rs 500 from students at the time of admission as admission fee,” a student said.
Principal Secretary to the Chancellor, Shailesh Singh, who commands good respect among Sanskrit scholars for his love for Sanskrit language and education, washed his hand off the issue when contacted for his comment by saying, “I presently do not deal with the matter.”
Higher education secretary K.K.Khandelwal could not be contacted for his comment on the matter.
