Uttar Pradesh government orders probe into RPNLUP Assistant Professor recruitment

The Uttar Pradesh government has ordered a probe into the recruitment of 12 Assistant Professors at Dr Rajendra Prasad National Law University, Prayagraj (RPNLUP).

The order was issued by Dinesh Singh, Special Secretary of the Justice Department.

The committee comprises the Principal Secretaries of three State departments. It will be headed by M Devraj, Principal Secretary, Personnel and Appointments Department. MP Agarwal, Principal Secretary, Higher Education Department, and Uday Pratap Singh, Principal Secretary, Justice and Legal Advisory Department are the other two members.

The committee has been directed to submit its findings within 30 days.

RPNLUP had advertised 12 Assistant Professor (Law) posts in March this year. Interviews for the posts were held between July 22 and 30.

According to a report, the State of Uttar Pradesh's Additional Law Remembrancer, also a member of the University's Executive Council (EC), had sought records and explanations from the University's Registrar on the recruitment process. In that letter, he allegedly mentioned that complete information regarding the appointments was not placed before the EC during its meeting on July 31, because of which he and another EC member abstained from voting on the appointments.

The report said that the Additional Law Remembrancer asked whether shortlisting and selection committee formation adhered to University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations, and whether an academic-score chart in the prescribed format was prepared.

Separately, a complaint reportedly to the Chief Minister alleged that that three of the Vice Chancellor's (VC) former students were among those selected during the process.

Another complaint, addressed to the UGC Chairman and copied to Bar & Bench, also sought a stay on one candidate's appointment and an independent inquiry, alleging the candidate's joining was permitted without the Registrar's signature.

Following this, RPNLUP on August 20 issued a press note calling coverage of the appointments defamatory.

[Read Order]