Nepotism continues; illogicla advertisement released to accomodate adhoc professors

Registrar NIPER appointment is done for Rs 20 lakhs. How much is taken for adhoc Professor? Pay scale of professor is higher then Registrar. 

Recently questions are also asked in Rajya Sabha regarding these appointments. NIPER administration by passed the answer.

Ad-hoc appointment of Naresh Kumar 

NIPER Administration /Offg. Director has given 3 different statements at 3 different places regarding appointment of Dr.Naresh Kumar.

Statement 1 :  Appointment of Dr. Naresh Kumar is as Professor in Pharmaceutical Management  (NIPER Registrar Office Order no. F.1-3(293)/2011/Estt./1343 dated 19-10-2011 , indicating Dr.Naresh as Professor, Pharmaceutical Management)

Statement 2 :  Appointment of Dr. Naresh Kumar is as Professor in Business Development Group, NIPER (Statement of Prof. K.K.Bhutani given to the Chairman, APDC and duly documented  in SIGNED final minutes of 13^th APDC meeting held at NIPER on 19-11-2011, as agenda item no. 13.6)

Statement 3 :  Appointment of Dr. Naresh Kumar is as Professor in Intellectual Property Rights Cell, Deptt. Of Pharmaceutical Management.

(RTI response given vide NIPER Letter no. F 235/RTI 43/2012/1030 dated 4-5-2012 )

Appointment and Extension of Jyoti Paliwal 

Dr. Jyoti Paliwal appointed flaunting all rules more then one year ago and in the meeting held on 28th of May 2012 the appointment and extension of Dr. Jyoti Paliwal was discussed. It was inquired by one hon'bel BOG member whether any advertisement in this effect was published The reply of the BOG secretary was negative. it is opined by the Members that advertisement is a must before filling a regular post.  After deliberation the BOG unanimously resolved that in order to keep the principle of Natural justice and fairness in the view, the advertisement of Professor should be released so that the best tallant can be recruited.   

A Civil Writ Petition is filed in Punjab and Harayana High Court challenging the appointment of Registrar NIPER in CWP 6458 of 2012. 

After the Rajya Sabha question NIPER Registrar (whose appointment is  under scrutiny by HC) released the following illogical advertisement to accomodate wrongly appointed Adhoc professors. Both the adhoc professors are over age and lack requisite experience; Illogical statement made regarding reservation, age and experience relaxation.  

The Institute intends to fill the four (04) posts of Professor (UR: 02, OBC: 01 & SC: 01) in the following disciplines:

Sr. No.	Post	Discipline	No. of Posts	Remunerations and Benefits	Max. Age Limit
1.	Professor	Biotechnology	01	PB-4 (Rs.37,400-67,000) with starting pay Rs.48,000/- pm plus Academic Grade Pay of Rs.10,500/- and other allowances at par with Central Government Rules.	50 years (Relaxable for specially qualified candidates)
2	Professor	Pharmacokinetics	01
3	Professor	Advisor - Business Development	01
4	Professor	Technology Development of APIs and Dosage Formulations	01

For application form and other details please visit our website www.niper.gov.in. The competent authority may relax experience and age for exceptionally meritorious candidates as per Institute rules. The last date of receipt of applications is 08-10-2012.

A vigilant whistle blower filed the following RTI to get to the bottom of the issue

Please refer to the NIPER advertisement no. Advt. No. 18/2012 dated 28.08.2012 for the post of professors in NIPER. As per NIPER statutes clause 3.2.1, 4.1.3, 6.2 and NIPER ordinances (Extraordinary Part-III published on 1st February 2010), NIPER is structured in various departments and faculty evaluation/renewal of contract/Promotion is also department wise. Kindly provide the information related to the advertisement on the following:

1. Since the post of Professor is highest post in the Institute and appointment is in specific department/discipline having highly specialized expertise in the field, kindly provide the information on the post of the professors in various discipline which are kept as unreserved (02), OBC (01) and SC (01) for specific disciplines.

2. Kindly provide the information on the discipline advertised in Advt. No. 18/2012 namely pharmacokinetics, Advisor Business development, and Technologies development of APIs and Dosage formulations on the following points:

a. Specific rules/clause of NIPER statutes/ordinances under which these disciplines were advertised for the recruitment of the faculty and also the name of the specific department of NIPER if any.
 

b. In case these disciplines are already in place in NIPER, kindly provide the information on the faculties (Name, designation and department) who are already working along with a copy of appointment letter in the same.
 

c. In case, special permission is obtained from the BoG NIPER for these posts, kindly provide a copy of the relevant approved minutes of BoG NIPER.
 

d. Kindly provide the information/copies if these discipline are already notified in the gazette published by GOI.

3. Kindly provide the information on the relaxation of the experience of meritorious candidates as per the advertisements if any. For example, competent authority may also relax any candidate for zero years experience if they like the candidate.

Illogical statement made regarding reservation, age and experience relaxation. Another court case is in the horizon?

In several 11th five year plan projects 90% of the fund misappropriated.

CWP No. 14537 of 2012, under Articles 226 / 227 of Constitution of India is filled for issuance of a writ of Mandamus or any other writ order or direction, directing the C.B.I. to conduct a detailed and thorough investigation into the financial irregularities and lapses which have taken place at National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), as the CVC on the complaint of the petitioner has failed to hold an inquiry into the matter and thus failed to perform its mandatory duties. 

As there is a close relationship between achieved/ unachieved objectives and financial implications, it is unrealistic to expect that irregularities and lapses has no beneficiary  Details of some research and infrastructure projects where heavy misappropriation took place, are given below:

Scheme Number	Name	Outlay/ Misappropriation
N-05	New Auditorium	Rs.5.50 crores; 100% misapp.No such auditorium constructed. However, expense of Rs.4.22 crores shown in mid-term review report, which is surprising.
N-10	Earth filling and Landscaping	Rs.1.28 crores; >50% misapp. No work done, as per mid-term review report dated 24/4/2010.
N-11	Furniture and Air-conditioning	Rs.4.00 crores; >90% misapp.As per information available, furniture and AC was for new auditorium, which has not been constructed. However expense of Rs.1.81 crores has been shown in mid-term review report dated 24/4/2010.
N-14	New Specialization in Pharmaceutical Management	Rs.1.60 crores;  >90% misapp. No such specialization introduced. 2 new courses introduced in 2010 using existing staff only. Rs.10 lacs released to management department  in 2012 (5th Year).
N-15	Research in Pharmacovigilance and Pharmaco-economics	Rs.2.50 crores; >75% misapprop. Project not included in final list of presentations.
N-17	Setting up of Department of Intellectual Property Rights at NIPER	Rs.2.25 crores;  >90% misapp. No department established at all. Though about Rs.1.5 crores was for hiring and training of manpower, NOT A SINGLE technical person hired. Entire amount misappropriated. Serious shortcoming listed in final report by Project Leader, Dr.Parikshit Bansal
N-19	Cerebral Ischemia/MRI	Rs.5.00 crores;  100% misappr. No work done at all, as per mid-term review dated 24/4/2010.Project not included in final list of presentations.

Scheme Number	Name	Outlay/ Misappropriation
C-05	Pharma Parasitology/ Virology/ Infection Lab	Rs.9.13 crores; >50% misappr. Less funds released.
C-07	Pharma Grid	Rs. 11.06 crores; > 60% misappr. Person who proposed the  project not informed of final approved project, nor given any funds during initial 3 years.
C-11	Nano Technology and Drug Delivery System	Rs.5.25 crores; >40% misappr. Serious shortcomings listed in the final report by Dr.Neeraj Kumar.
C-12	Establishment of Business Development Group at NIPER	Rs.1.75 crores; >75% misapp. No such group established. No final presentation of output under the project made. Project not included in final list of presentations.
C-13	Reference Standard Development	Rs.2.00 crores; >90% misappr. Though Rs.2 crore was taken from the Govt. for making reference standards, not a single reference standard available for industry after project completion.
C-15	Impurity profiling and stability testing facility	Rs.1.02 crores;>90% misappr. No such facility established. No work done, as per mid-term review dated 24/4/2010.

Corruption @NIPER forced Professor to observe Peacock mating rituals

Bansal Vs Bansal

NIPER lacks a decent size lecture hall to accomodate increasing number of students. Laboratories are not specious enough for research work of so many students. Majority of the students only get a chance to peep into the experiments ongoing in the lab from corridor without getting a hands on experience.

Prof Parikshit Bansal was deeply distressed by large scale corruption and gross misappropriation of public money released to NIPER for taking up research projects in national interest. 

While Parikshit lodged complaints with all possible statutory anti corruption watch dogs and finally to High Court, lack of adequate research facility forced Prof Arvind Bansal to watch Peacock mating rituals, feeding Aloo Paratha  during the day and watch dancing fireflies at night. Highly qualified Drug formulation scientist slowly turning to naturist. Many high caliber researchers of NIPERs are also idle for the same reason.

It appears that misappropriation of hard-earned tax-payer’s money, does not prick the conscience of so-called `NIPER administrators (!!)’. They feel no sense of remorse or guilt at the immense loss they caused to the nation by failure of plans approved in national interest, to the growth of a premier institute established for healthcare research and also students/suffering patients who were the end beneficiaries. They felt no responsibility or accountability attached to the public funds meant for research relating to dreaded diseases such as cancer, tuberculosis etc. Rather, they regarded the funds as ‘party money’ to be used in whatever manner and wherever they wanted to, without any accountability or questions being raised because none dared to raise their voice. Such conduct and lack of any guilt on part of senior academicians who are supposed to be the guiding light for students are highly abominable. 

Both five year plans & Big Guns of NIPER are under scanner of HC

Appart from the non-establishment of Department of Intellectual Property Rights CWP No. 14537 of 2012 also contain specific complains about both 11 th and 12th five year plan along with complains against Mr. Ashok Kumar, Mr. Mukul Joshi, Dr. V. M. Katoch Secretaries of GOI and Mr. Arun Jha Joint Secretary of GOI.

In July, 2011 Dr. Bansal came to know that almost 90% of funds had been misappropriated in another scheme of the 11th Five year Plan viz. Project on new specialization in R&D Management (Scheme N14, Rs. 1.60 crores). Similar was the story of misappropriation in another 11th Five Year project pertaining to “Establishment of Business Development Group at NIPER (Scheme No.N-09, Rs.1.75 crores).  Interaction with other faculty members at NIPER revealed large – scale misappropriation of 11th Five Year plan funds in several other research projects also with the amounting running into several crores.  

Deeply distressed and worried by such large scale corruption and gross misappropriation of public money released to NIPER for taking up research projects in national interest, Dr. Bansal lodged a formal complaint with Chairman Board of Governors, praying for suitable action against both Directors of NIPER and setting up of inquiry regarding large scale misappropriation of 11th Five Year Plan Funds, running into several crores of rupees.

Chairman BOG remained silent, did not acknowledge the letter and took no action despite seriousness of the matter. However, based on a ‘Confidential Agenda’ taken by officiating Director against Dr. Bansal, Chairman BOG approved an inquiry against the Dr. Bansal in the same BOG MEETING (54th Meeting) in which the complaint should have been tabled before all members of the BOG. As a result, Dr. Bansal was victimized and faced considerable harassment at hands of officiating Director for acting as a ‘whistleblower’.  

The Secretaries in the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers who were responsible for monitoring the utilization of 11th Five Year Plan Funds (2007-12) were Mr. Ashok Kumar, IAS and Mr. Mukul Joshi, IAS.  Both were aware of the complaints made in 2009 and 2011 regarding large scale misappropriation of 11th Five Year Plan Funds, in NIPER, Mohali but in a SERIOUS BREACH OF PUBLIC TRUST and OFFICIAL RESPONSIBILITY/STATUTORY DUTIES under Govt. of India Financial Rules (GFR Rule 26), took no action.

Dr. Bansal as a vigilant and responsible citizen, made a formal complaint relating to large scale misappropriation of 11th Five Year Plan Funds to Mr. Mukul Joshi, IAS vide detailed letter of 43 pages dated 20.5.2011 (Annexure P-12), but Mr. Joshi did not even acknowledge the same and took no action in the matter, though under the GFR rule 64, as the Secretary, DOP, he carried direct responsibility for proper utilization and accounting of the funds released by the Ministry to NIPER, Mohali.

There has been a serious ‘BREACH OF TRUST’ and ‘NON-PERFORMANCE OF ‘STATUTORY DUTIES’ by powerful and highly placed officials viz. IAS officers at rank of Secretary, who misused and abused their positions in collusion with willing academicians i.e. the Directors of NIPER. They misappropriated research funds meant for research and infrastructure creation to develop new and improved medicines for diseases such as cancer, diabetes, tuberculosis, malaria etc. and reduce suffering of patients, leading to failure of plans approved in National Interest, for the growth and technological progress of the Nation. 

Dr. Bansal is worried and concerned at the apparent ease with which the funds were misappropriated and wishes to bring to the attention of the Hon’ble Court that under the 12th Five Year Plan, institute has sought approx. Rs. 1350 crores under various ‘research schemes’, whereas in previous plans, even Rs.156 crores could not be properly utilized and most of it was misappropriated.

It appears that hard-earned tax-payer’s money, does not prick the conscience of these ‘modern academicians’. They feel no sense of remorse or guilt at the immense loss they caused to the nation by failure of plans approved in national interest, to the growth of a premier institute established for healthcare research and also students/suffering patients who were the end beneficiaries. They felt no responsibility or accountability attached to the public funds meant for research relating to dreaded diseases such as cancer, tuberculosis etc. Rather, they regarded the funds as ‘party money’ to be used in whatever manner and wherever they wanted to, without any accountability or questions being raised because none dared to raise their voice. Such conduct and lack of any guilt on part of senior academicians who are supposed to be the guiding light for students, deserves the most swift and exemplary punishment to prevent repetition of the same story in the next five year plan, which has a proposed outlay of Rs.1350 crores.

Punjab Haryana HC issued Notice of motion on financial irregularities and lapses at NIPER

Chandigarh Aug 24, 2012 Hon’ble Punjab Harayana High Court issued Notice of motion to following Respondents,

1. Union of India Department of Pharmaceuticals (DOP), Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Shastri Bhawan New Delhi. 11001 through the Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals.

2. National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Sector 67, S.A.S. Nagar, Mohali, Punjab, through its Registrar.

3. Dr. K. K. Bhutani, Officiating Director, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Sector 67, S.A.S. Nagar, Mohali, Punjab. 

4. Dr. P. Rama Rao, Ex-Director, NIPER and at present Professor of Pharmacology and Dean, Central University of Punjab, Bhatinda.

5. Central Vigilance Commission, Satarakta Bhawan, GPO Complex, Block A, INA New Delhi 23, through its Central Vigilance Commissioner.

6. C.B.I. Chandigarh through its D.I.G.  

         

Teacher accuses ex-NIPER head of corruption

Dr. Parikshit Bansal was vocal regarding misappropriation since last three years and left no stone unturned for justice. After several failed attempts to alart governing authorities of NIPER and statutory anti-corruption bodies Dr. Bansal sought intervention of the court to issue directions to CBI to conduct inquiry and establish IPR Department at NIPER. In the petition  Dr. Parikshit Bansal had stated that NIPER administration is guilty of wilful breach and disobedience of GFR 2005. 

CWP No. 14537 of 2012, under Articles 226 / 227 of Constitution of India is filled for issuance of a writ of Mandamus or any other writ order or direction, directing the C.B.I. to conduct a detailed and thorough investigation into the financial irregularities and lapses which have taken place at National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), as the CVC on the complaint of the petitioner has failed to hold an inquiry into the matter and thus failed to perform its mandatory duties. 

Bleak placement record of NIPER Mohali continues

Money spent on construction of many white elephants and unused facilities.  Laboratory space crunch deprive students to get hands on training for which NIPER was famous once upon a time.  

In an average 30% is placed what happened to majority? Per capita expenditure is much more compared to any university (UIPS in Punjab University).

With this placement record do we really need more.................?

Department Wise Campus placement of Students 2010-12

Sr. No.	Department	Total Candidates	Candidates placed	Not interested for placements	Sponsored	Interested for  Ph.D.
1	Medicinal Chemistry	37	6	1	-	5
2.	Natural Products	24	7	1	-	-
3.	Pharmaceutical Analysis	10	5	-	-	2
4.	Pharmacology & Toxicology	37	7	-	-	4
5.	PT(Formulations)	10	6	2	-	-
6.	PT(Bulk Drugs)	7	-	-	-	3
7.	PT(Biotechnology)	9	1	2	-	3
8.	Pharmaceutics	25	9	-	1	6
9.	Biotechnology	27	4	-	-	4
10.	Pharmacy Practice	16	5	-	-	3
11.	Pharmacoinformatics	28	2	1	-	3
12.	Pharm. Management	58	47	-	1	-
	TOTAL	288	99	7	2	32