The Aryavarth Express
Agency(New Delhi): The standoff between the Raj Bhavan and the Bihar education department escalated further as the Raj Bhavan instructed banks to disregard the education department’s directive that had previously frozen the bank accounts of all state-run universities, excluding one. This directive was issued after the vice-chancellors (VCs) of these universities were allegedly absent from a review meeting organized by the education department, which led to a decision to withhold their salaries.
Robert L. Chongthu, the principal secretary to the governor, who also serves as the chancellor of the state universities, issued a letter on Sunday, mandating the immediate de-freezing of the university accounts. “The chancellor (governor) has ordered that the order of the education department stands withdrawn,” stated the Raj Bhavan’s communication, highlighting a clear directive to reverse the education department’s previous action.
The controversy began when the education department, under secretary Baidyanath Yadav, sent out letters to all VCs—except for the one from Kameshwar Singh Darbhanga Sanskrit University—demanding an explanation for their absence at a critical meeting. This meeting was convened to address issues related to pending examinations among other matters. The department threatened legal action and the withholding of salaries should satisfactory explanations not be provided within a stipulated timeframe. Additionally, banks were instructed to halt operations of the universities’ accounts until further directives were issued.
However, the situation took a turn when a police complaint was filed against the VC of Lalit Narayan Mithila University, along with the examination controller and other officials, for not attending the departmental meeting. This action was initiated by the Darbhanga district education officer, Samar Bahadur Singh, marking a significant escalation in the confrontation between the state’s education authorities and the university administration.
Education Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary was unavailable for comments regarding the unfolding situation, leaving many unanswered questions about the next steps in resolving this conflict.
This clash underscores the tension between the state’s education department and the Raj Bhavan, highlighting issues of governance and accountability within Bihar’s higher education system. The immediate de-freezing of the university accounts as directed by the Raj Bhavan suggests a move towards resolving the financial impasse, yet it also points to deeper issues of administrative discord that require thorough examination and dialogue.