The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) on Thursday wrote to the Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory of Ladakh, Kavinder Gupta, seeking urgent intervention over the proposed absorption of an Assistant Registrar at the University of Ladakh.
In a detailed representation, JKSA’s Ladakh State President, Mohd Hassanain Rocky, conveyed concerns raised by members of the academic fraternity and job aspirants regarding the reported move to absorb a deputed Assistant Registrar who has been serving at the University for nearly five years. He noted that the initial deputation tenure was two years under Govt. Order No. 915-JK (GAD) of 2020 dated 05/10/2020, and any extension beyond that period should have been formally notified and placed in the public domain in keeping with established administrative procedures.
Rocky further pointed out that of the three sanctioned posts of Assistant Registrar, only two were advertised under Notification No. 05 of 2023 dated 14/12/2023, while the third is reportedly being considered for absorption. He said this raises serious questions about compliance with University statutes, UGC regulations, and the principles of open competition and merit-based selection particularly in a region where educated unemployed youth view the University as a key avenue for fair public employment.
Referring to a 2022 precedent in which an external committee reviewed the proposed absorption of three Assistant Professors and found it legally untenable without open advertisement and due process, the Association stressed that rules must be applied uniformly. Selective departures from procedure, it cautioned, risk eroding governance standards.
Rocky also observed that reports of informal or discretionary administrative measures have caused anxiety among stakeholders. Even the perception of irregularity, he said, can weaken confidence in a young institution that is still shaping its academic and administrative foundations.
He added that over 30 faculty members and academic professionals from Ladakh are currently serving outside the region. Allowing absorption through deputation without a clearly defined and uniformly applicable policy could invite similar claims in the future, potentially creating a complex and unsustainable precedent.
In its letter, the Association urged the Lieutenant Governor to direct the University to clarify the status of the third Assistant Registrar post and disclose the legal basis, if any, for the proposed move; to ensure that all appointments or regularisations strictly adhere to statutory provisions; and to issue a public statement reaffirming its commitment to fairness and transparency.
The Association maintained that the University of Ladakh symbolises opportunity and aspiration for the youth of the Union Territory, and that decisions taken at this formative stage will shape its credibility for years to come. It expressed hope that due process and accountability will be upheld, reinforcing public trust in Ladakh’s higher education institutions.(JKNS)
