Letters issued by Principal engrossed in lies & concocted resolutions; NCC likely to withdraw its unit from Cachar College

way2barak, Aug. 27: It’s indeed a matter of immense pride and honour for an educational institution to remain in news headlines. However, when this happens for wrong reasons, such headlines earn much disgrace for any institution. Such an unfortunate state of affairs has recently engulfed the prestigious Cachar College, Silchar which was established 62 years ago in 1960.

Since the last few days, the gradual opening of the pandora’s box has brought forth some ‘ugly incidents’ in connection with the administration of Cachar College, Silchar. And as it is said “All roads lead to Rome,” similarly, every incident coming to surface indicates the involvement of the Principal of the college, Dr Siddhartha Shankar Nath. Assam College Teacher’s Association (ACTA) in a recent press release has termed the style of running Cachar College by Dr Nath as “careless, arrogant and whimsical.”

Among many other instances of blatant violation of rules, one such incident, which came to light, has indeed tarnished the image of the college. Principal of Cachar College, Dr Siddhartha Shankar Nath has denied permission to NCC Programme Officer (PO) Hemanta Kr Bora to attend a training in Nagpur. Apparently, it might seem that a Principal may disallow any of the staff to go for training. However, investigation into the matter by Team way2barak has opened up various dimensions of “apparent disregard to existing government rules” and utter highhandedness by the said Principal.

Hemanta Kr Bora was appointed as Care Taking Officer (CTO) of Cachar College NCC Unit in the year 2018. In the year 2020, he was selected for Associated NCC Officer (ANO) Training Course by the State Selection Board. On 18 April, 2022 the Commanding Officer of 3 Assam Bn NCC Silchar Colonel Vikas Katoch informed the Principal, Cachar College, Silchar through his letter Ref. No. G-3/19/ NCC that Mr Bora shall have to undergo the Pre- Commission (PRCN) Course at Officer’s Transit Academy (OTA), Kamptee, Nagpur from 13 August to 26 October, 2022. For that course, the Principal, Cachar College was required to issue a ‘No Objection Certificate’ (NOC) to spare him for the duration of the course. In the same letter, it was also mentioned that, if the CTO failed to attend the said course, the institution would be solely responsible for any further action pertaining to placing the institution under suspended animation or withdrawal of NCC from the institute.

The Principal, Cachar College paid no heed to the letter from the CO, 3 Assam Bn NCC. On 20 May 2022, the CO, 3 Assam Bn NCC again sent a letter to the Principal, Cachar College, Silchar citing the importance of attending the said course by Hemanta Bora and again remined him of the consequences of not issuing the NOC to him.

In response to the letter of CO, 3 Assam Bn NCC, the Principal, Cachar College, Silchar wrote in his letter dated 13 June, 2022 that Hemanta Bora could not be released for the training course citing a GB Resolution and UGC guideline. The Principal wrote, “With reference to the subject cited above the matter was placed in the meeting of Governing Body, Cachar College held on 30.05.2022 where it was resolved that as per Resolution No. 5(j) the duty leave of any Asstt. Prof. is maximum for 30 days. The GB Resolution No. 5(j) dated 30.05.2022 quoted below: -(j) Resolved that Sri Hemanta Kr. Bora, Asstt. Prof Deptt. of English & CTO of NCC Cachar College Unit can’t be approved duty leave for the period 13.08.2022 to 26.10.2022 in connection with NCC PRCN Course to be held at OTA, Nagpur, Maharashtra.”

On the contrary, as per letters from UGC, letters from Director General, NCC, and subsequent letters from Assam Government and Director of Higher Education (DHE), Assam (dated 13.03.2020), many teachers from different colleges in Assam were allowed to undergo the said training course. Though the Head of the Institutions of GC College, Haflong Govt College and NIT Silchar allowed their Care Taking Officer’s (CTO’s) to attend the said training in Kamptee, but mysteriously citing some ‘non-existing rules’, the Principal of Cachar College denied permission to his CTO Mr Bora to undergo the training. Being an institution in planet earth, Cachar College, Silchar just cannot be an exception to the existing rules and regulations of the Government.

Moreover, serious doubts were raised as regards the denial letter issued by the Principal to the Commanding Officer (CO) of 3 Assam Bn NCC 13 June 2022. Various sources have revealed that though the Principal mentioned in his letter that the Governing Body (GB) vide its Resolution No 5(j) denied permission to Hemanta to attend that training, but no such issue was discussed in the said GB Meeting held on 30 May, 2022.

When the President of the Governing Body of the college, Sashanka Sekhar Dhar was contacted, he said that he is not able to recall what was discussed in the GB meeting held on 30 May, 2022. He can only give his opinion, once he is able to go through the minutes recorded in the GB Resolution register, which is in the custody of the Principal. When the same was corroborated from other members of the GB who attended that meeting (defying all rules 29 members attended that GB meeting on that day), they said that no such issue was discussed in that meeting held on 30 May. They claimed the issue related to NCC training of Hemanta Bora was never discussed. Hemanta Bora also said that he too has come to know from some of the members of the Governing Body that this issue never surfaced in the GB meeting (Resolution No 5(j) ) as stated by the Principal. Quoting relevant UGC Guidelines and letters of DHE, Assam, Mr Bora further added that the matter of ‘maximum 30 days duty leave for teachers’ as stated by the Principal is nothing but a concocted version of existing rules and regulations.

Meanwhile, after receiving the ‘concocted letter’ of the Principal, the CO, 3 Assam Bn NCC again wrote a letter to the Principal, Cachar College, Silchar on 12 July, 2022 and sought his explanation of UGC Guideline which was mentioned by him. The NCC officer asked the Principal to send his reply within 20 July, 2022. A copy of the resolution was also marked to the President of Governing Body of the college. NCC requested the President also to confirm UGC guidelines as quoted in the letter of the principal. However, surprisingly, no reply was given either by the Principal, Cachar College, Silchar or by the President of the Governing Body till date.

At this juncture, the NCC unit in Cachar College Silchar is in the verge of withdrawal. Every year, a good number of cadets from Cachar College NCC gets employment in different sectors. The cadets of the college earned good reputation too at different time. Ironically, it is only because of the whimsical, arrogant attitude and ‘unfounded’ UGC Guidelines quoted by the Principal, that the Cachar College, Silchar NCC unit is now facing the risk of suspension.

Sources in Dispur revealed that a high level official of the Higher Education Department, Government of Assam will arrive at Silchar on 29 August, 2022 for conducting enquiry into the plethora of irregularities committed by Dr Siddhartha Shankar Nath, Principal of the College.