Jamal is here to stay, says VC

BANGALORE: After a brief lull over the ongoing controversy over the appointment and continuation of Special Officer (Exams) Syed Jamal, Bangalore University Vice-Chancellor Dr N Prabhu Dev has come on-the-record to say that “Jamal is here to stay.”Speaking to Express, Prabhu Dev said, “There is misinformation that the Syndicate appointed him (Jamal) only for a year. The Syndicate unanimously approved his appointment, and I have been appointing him every year. The university’s examination system was in shambles before. Jamal is 90 percent responsible for the improvement that we have seen.”He said that section 15 of the Karnataka State Universities (KSU) Act, 2000, stated, “The VC shall be the principal executive and academic officer of the university and shall exercise general control over the affairs of the university. He shall exercise all powers necessary for maintenance of discipline in the university.”Laying to rest the rumours that there was a race for authoritative superiority between him and Registrar (Administration) BC Mylarappa, he said, “Please see section 17 of the KSU Act. The Registrar is only a custodian of records in the university. The Registrar can make appointments only on the directions of the VC. There is no question on who is superior.”Meanwhile, Registrar (Administration) BC Mylarappa said that he was the implementing authority in the univeristy for all teaching and non-teaching staff. “In the case of Jamal, I have only acted according to the rules. Let the Syndicate decree that Jamal can stay on or that I was wrong in issuing a relieving order, I will resign immediately,” he said.“I am not a subordinate to anybody. I will bow down only to the Syndicate and KSU Act, which governs even the VC,” he added.Seven members of the syndicate have written to Governor and Chancellor H R Bhardwaj and the Chief Minister highlighting the irregularities in the university, including the issues of Jamal and Additional Legal Advisor.