Bihar Govt Suspends Freeze On University Bank Accounts, Requests VCs' Presence At March 9 Meeting

The state government had instructed the freezing of bank accounts for all state universities, except one.

Patna: The Bihar government on Wednesday announced the suspension of its recent order to freeze bank accounts belonging to state-run universities. Instead, authorities of these universities have been summoned to attend a review meeting scheduled by the education department on March 9, as reported by news agency PTI. This directive comes amidst an ongoing standoff between the education department and the Raj Bhavan. Earlier, the state government had instructed the freezing of bank accounts for all state universities, except one and withheld the salaries of their vice-chancellors for purportedly missing an education department meeting last month.

In response, the Raj Bhavan had written to banks, countermanding the education department's order to freeze the accounts of state-run universities, except one.

Deepak Kumar Singh, Deputy Director of the Higher Education Department, urged all Vice-Chancellors of state universities to participate in the department's review meeting on March 9. He also assured that the accounts of the universities would remain unfrozen until that date.

However, ahead of the scheduled meeting, the Raj Bhavan raised concerns by issuing a letter cautioning VCs against leaving their stations without prior permission from the governor's office. It's important to note that the governor serves as the chancellor of state universities.

In a letter to all VCs, the governor's Principal Secretary Robert L Chongthu on Wednesday directed them "not to leave their universities' headquarters without taking permission from the competent authority (Governor’s office)".

“Strict disciplinary action would be taken if instructions are violated”, says the letter, a copy of which is in the possession of PTI.

The standoff between the Raj Bhavan and the education department appears to be deepening. The state education department has taken the step of filing police complaints against Vice-Chancellors (VCs) of universities who failed to attend the department's review meeting held in the last week of February.

In an earlier correspondence to all VCs, except the vice-chancellor of Kameshwar Singh Darbhanga Sanskrit University, the department had requested clarification for their absence from the meeting to address pending examinations and other concerns.

The communication had cautioned that unless satisfactory explanations were provided, FIRs would be lodged against university authorities, and the salaries of VCs would be withheld.

Despite multiple attempts, Bihar Education Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary could not be reached for comment on the matter.

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