Saturday 10 August 2013

Apni utthe bhabhi hai director...IT di head hai Prabha Garg..

Railgate: Singla tried to fix education post too, CBI says

CHANDIGARH: Former Union railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal's nephew Vijay Singla and his Chandigarh-based aides were not only allegedly involved in leveraging on railway jobs and contracts but also tried to influence the appointment of a director in Mohali-based National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, according to the CBI chargesheet in the Railgate scam.

Singla is accused of receiving Rs 90 lakh bribe from railway official Mahesh Kumar, who was allegedly lobbying for the post of member (electrical) in the Railway Board or be allowed to keep additional charge of general manager, Western Railway, and is currently in jail.

Singla and his group tried to fix the post of a director at NIPER, which has an annual budget of approximately Rs 55 crore, according to conversations intercepted by the CBI. NIPER is a research institute for post graduate and doctorate students of pharmacology.

In a conversation transcript dated April 19 this year, Singla assured railway scam co-accused and his close friend Sandeep Goyal that he (Singla) had briefed Bansal about the replacement of NIPER's director.

NIPER is an autonomous institute set up by the Union ministry of chemicals and fertilizers.

"Kehta-ji mai kehta. Mama-ji nu NIPER wali gal (I am talking to mama-ji about the NIPER job)," Singla told Goyal. In the same conversation, Goyal asked Singla to facilitate appointment of students from the pharmaceutical institute with Bansal and to safeguard the interests of one of his family members working at a top post.

"Apni utthe bhabhi hai director...IT di head hai Prabha Garg.... Te mama-ji de kan wich paana hai ki director remove hona chahiye. Mamaji toh students ne appointment litti hai (My sister-in-law is Prabha Garg is IT head... It should be put into mama-ji's ears that the director must be removed)," said Goyal, invoking a prompt reassurance from Singla again.

These transcripts were submitted by the CBI on July 3 in its 4,010-page chargesheet, a copy of which is with TOI, before the Patiala House court in Delhi as evidence in the Rs 10-crore Railgate scam.

A shocked NIPER's officiating director K K Bhutani told TOI that these transcripts undermine the autonomy of the institute and that he would take up the matter with the board of governors on August 12. As per procedure, the board of governors' panel is to recommend the director from a group of 12 people to the President of India at this meeting.

"Such conversations are damning considering that the board of governors at NIPER has for the past six months been planning to install a director. And now that meeting is just two days away, I also see it as a conspiracy as recently the board of governors had fired three men close to certain politicians of Chandigarh," said Bhutani.

The three sacked NIPER professors included the then head of the intellectual property rights department Parikshit Bansal, then head of biotechnology department Nilanjan Roy and assistant professor of pharmaceutics department Neeeraj Kumar.

Bhutani has been the officiating director at NIPER since January 1, 2010.

Friday 31 May 2013

Now NIPER is "International Institute of Shame"

Current Developments at NIPER

Andreas Bender, PhD <ab454@cam.ac.uk>Fri, May 31, 2013 at 4:53 PM

To: director@niper.ac.in

Cc: knowmics@gmail.com, pvbharatam@niper.ac.in, prabhagarg@niper.ac.in, mesophia@niper.ac.in, yathindra@ibab.ac.in, gayatri@ibab.ac.in, tanjores.balganesh@gmail.com, m.karthikeyan@ncl.res.in, prashant_kharkar@yahoo.com, "A. Chavan-Ravindranath" <ac805@cam.ac.uk>, Rucha Chiddarwar <rc557@cam.ac.uk>, "S. Paricharak" <sp644@cam.ac.uk>, nchandra@serc.iisc.in, vnbalaji@jubilantbiosys.com, salundibasappa@yahoo.co.in, chandramowli.ganesh@unilever.com, Vellarkad_Viswanadhan@jubilantbiosys.com, Ashok Venkitaraman <arv22@cam.ac.uk>, Professor Shankar Balasubramanian <sb10031@cam.ac.uk>, feedback@expressindia.com, prashant.rupera@timesgroup.com, tom@cryst.bioc.cam.ac.uk, kumardmk@gmail.com
Sir,

It is with much regret to follow recent - and continuing - developments at your institute[1-4,and many others].

NIPER has been established as a premier pharmaceutical research institute of your country, and to provide stimulating, fair and free leadership in science and beyond. Regrettably, this is not in the slightest what the current treatment of staff, as well as students, at NIPER by its senior authorities represents.

With this letter I would like to voice my strong opinion that you truly have to accept responsibility for the people within your very own institute, and responsibility towards your nation. The staff of your institute will form the future of your country - and this is only possible by teaching your students both exciting science, as well as to develop their personalities as human beings by incorporating the values of freedom, fairness, and mutual repect. Everyone wants to believe - allow your staff, allow your students, to believe in you.

When visiting Mohali several years ago, I met many very valuable students that wanted to develop, both scientifically as well as personally. I met scientific staff that wanted to do shape their areas in exciting ways; staff that strived to be good leaders. However, both is only possible by believing into your superiors also on higher levels of leadership - both on a scientifically, as well as a morally sound basis. And this is what you need to provide to NIPER on every level; this is what you, as leaders, owe them.

I will continue to believe into the people of India, and to continue to contribute my little share to their education via regular teaching visits to various institutes throughout the country. Now I would like to ask you to contribute your share - you owe it to your students, your staff, and your country.

Sincerely,
Dr Andreas Bender
Cambridge University


--
Andreas Bender, PhD
Lecturer for Molecular Informatics
Unilever Centre, Cambridge University
http://www-ucc.ch.cam.ac.uk
Personal: http://www.andreasbender.de

Monday 27 May 2013

How Problem of NIPER kept invisible

".....letter of BJP MP to Minister of Chemical and Fertilizer Mr. Jena was marked to Ministry and Ministry DID NOT SENT it to Secretary, DOP. Sent it to the lowest section officer in Ministry who in turn sent it to BR Sharma, Asstt. Registrar, Establishment- a very junior person with no powers. Why all officers in between became invisible? So that later if any problem occurs they can say we did not know or were not informed? Very very smart!"


Sunday 26 May 2013

Beginning of the end of "Institute of National Importance"


PRESS NOTE BY NIPER STUDENTS DATED 25-5-2013


NIPER, MOHALI PROTEST REACHES NEW DELHI- MORE THAN 100 STUDENTS GHERAO Dr.V.M.Katoch, DG, ICMR

Protesting students of the prestigious National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Mohali today gheraoed the office of the DG, ICMR, Dr.V.M.Katoch during the 60th Meeting of the NIPER Board of Governors (BOG) Chaired by Dr.Katoch and demanded sacking of NIPER Officiating Director, Dr.K.K.Bhutani.

NIPER is an autonomous institute under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, presently headed by Union Minister Mr. Srikant Jena. Mr.D.S.Kalha, IAS is the Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals which funds the institute. The officials have remained indifferent to the suffering and plight of the students who have been protesting since 28th March, 2013 regarding rampant corruption at NIPER running into several crores, poor placements, non-recognition of their degrees, discriminatory award of scholarships, inadequate research, medical and hostel facilities and a host of other issues including removal of their teachers in the midst of academic session, affecting ongoing Master’s and Ph.D projects. Interestingly, more than 30 students were hospitalized during the hunger strike, but still authorities remained unmoved.

Significantly, NIPER in recent years has drastically increased number of seats but faculty strength has remained low, leading to erosion of academic standards. Allegedly, more than Rs.100 crores of research and development funds sanctioned to NIPER under 11th Five Year Plan (2007-12) has vanished under the Directorship of Dr.K.K.Bhutani. A department of intellectual property rights for which institute got Rs.2.25 crores has not been established till date. Similarly, a new specialization in R&D management for which institute got more than Rs.1 crore has not been started. A new auditorium on which institute claims to have spent several crores, does not exist-not a single brick has been laid! Similar is the story in several other projects and schemes for which funds were sanctioned but work and progress did not take place at all.

Three NIPER faculty members viz. Dr.Nilanjan Roy, Dr.Neeraj Kumar and Dr.Parikshit Bansal who raised their voice against corruption at NIPER, were thrown out, leaving Ph.D/Masters’ students working with these teachers, in the lurch and affecting ongoing classes being taken by these faculty. While the BOG acted swiftly against the faculty members who complained against Dr.K.K.Bhutani, it took no action against Dr.K.K.Bhutani, who joined temporarily for few months, on 1st January, 2010 but has continued in the seat for more than 3 years. Interviews for selection of new director were completed in December, 2012, but results are yet to be declared by Dr.V.M.Katoch.

Holding Dr.Bhutani responsible for poor governance, large scale corruption and mismanagement at NIPER, the students have been demanding his removal for last nearly one month. During a personal meeting with Mr.Srikant Jena about 2 weeks ago, they were assured of ‘strong disciplinary action’ against Dr.Bhutani within 8 working days, but nothing happened. When students tried contacting Mr. Jena again, they were informed that he had left for his home state.  BOG members/ authorities are not moved by the peaceful protests of the students whose careers are at stake. Details of large scale bungling of funds relating to 11th Five Year Plan and 12th Five Year Plan and also various demands of students are posted on a websitewww.niperstrike.weebly.com’.

Another blog, ‘BIPED AGAINST CORRUPTION’ (http://bipedagainstcorruption.blogspot.incontains more than 250 postings relating to corruption/nepotism and victimization at NIPER as revealed under RTI. However, the accused remain unaffected.

“NIPER has no money to pay for appointment of full time placement officers for its students. However, it has sufficient money to pay several lacs to ‘consultants’ who have been hired by Dr.Bhutani, mainly to fight court cases and protect the interests of Dr.Bhutani ” said the students. Interestingly, the appointments of full time consultants at NIPER were carried out by Dr.Bhutani, without any advertizements and salaries fixed in arbitrary manner. The appointments have already been challenged vide a public interest litigation filed by a city based RTI activist, Dr.R.K.Singla.

Earlier, the appointment of NIPER Registrar, Wing Commander Mr.P.J.P.Singh Warraich made by Dr.Bhutani in absence of regular Board of Governors, was also set aside by the High Court on grounds of gross irregularities and is now pending in appeal before double bench. 

Saturday 25 May 2013

NIPER students set director's car on fire in SAS Nagar

iconimg Saturday, May 25, 2013
HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times SAS Nagar, May 25, 2013
Students of National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), SAS Nagar set officiating director KK Bhutani's car on fire in the wee hours on Saturday. According to the information, students who have been demanding director's resignation from last two months, had gone to attend Board of Governors meeting in New Delhi on Friday, where they were not given any satisfied response. After coming back to campus, the angry students set the car on fire around 3 am.
When contacted no student was ready to speak on the matter. While SAS Nagar city superintendent Swarandeep Singh, said they had not received any written complaint from NIPER authorities so far, when we do we will act accordingly.
The police had reached the campus and was investigating the matter at the time of filing the report.

Protest in Delhi


Friday 24 May 2013

NIPER students stormed BOG meeting in Delhi

Mohali 24th May 2013 NIPER BOG meeting is disrupted by NIPER Mohali students at ICMR DG's office in Ramalingaswmy Bhawan, New Delhi today. Chairman BOG called the police and students were barricaded off at the gate. Students hold their protest at the gate of ICMR office. After a while NIPER girls entered the building and put their massage in front of 13 BOG members. However their demand was not fulfilled by BOG citing the reason that they are helpless. Students are planing to take their protest to the door of President of India who is also Visitor of NIPER. 

Tuesday 30 April 2013

Hail Hitler: mail circulated to NIPER M employees

From: nipersassualt@rediffmail.com [mailto:nipersassualt@rediffmail.com] 
Sent: Saturday, April 27, 2013 12:53 PM
To:
 johnkj@niper.ac.in; deepraj@niper.ac.in; deepraj_sharma@yahoo.co.in; manojsood@niper.ac.in; ..........................................
Cc:
 cc@niper.ac.in; cil@niper.ac.in; mc@niper.ac.in; np@niper.ac.in; pa@niper.ac.in; pc@niper.ac.in; pe@niper.ac.in;pilotplant@niper.ac.in; bt@niper.ac.in; .............................................................................................
Subject:
 Hail hitler

DR. K K BHUTANI - THE UNFIT TRAITS
The officiating Director is inimical to the interests of the institute due to the following traits:
1. He seems to be short sighted and visionless as he has given no positive direction to the institute in the last three years. His thoughts and schemes are half baked and lack any rhyme or reason.
2. He has allegedly indulged in personal vendetta and has been using the resources of the institute to settle scores.
3. His attitude is self-righteous, his actions defy logic and he has complicated even simple administrative decisions. Thanks to these characteristics, the institute has been entangled in avoidable litigation.
4. He has allegedly an accusing attitude and back bites his own colleagues and subordinates. This has greatly vitiated the atmosphere of the institute.
5. His words often carry no weight and he mostly tries to bluff out of situations. Bluffmaster? Eh! He often throws the burden of his (foolish?) actions (or inactions?) on BOG or the ministry or his colleagues.
6. He is known to deliberately deny credit of work to his colleagues and subordinates and often bullies them to put down their arsenal.
7. He has allegedly been defying some of the decisions of the BOG deliberately.
8. He has overtly or covertly supported the illegal diversion of grants from the ministry.
9. He has allegedly been running the institute as a kitchen administration and has often been penny wise pound foolish.
10. Selections to new posts during his tenure have allegedly been a disaster and have brought only misery to the institute.
11.  He has allegedly been resorting to illegal means for hiring consultants/ props to stand up his own administrative incapability.
12. More facilities in the institute have been closed than started during his tenure.

                                             SO THE BIG QUESTION IS
How can a person with so many negative traits continue to misguide the institute to negative growth. We, the unknown, as conscientious well wishers of the people of India, cannot witness the degradation of an institute of national importance to a Lala’s roadside shop by pseudo-scientists like K K Bhutani.
                                       Is anybody listening?
Anyway, 3 cheers to Dr. Bhutani for expert dismantling services. Hope for an early demise to the Institute of national importance if he is around for another 2-3 years.

NOTE:
1. Dear reader, enjoy the write up, but do give it a serious thought.
2. Do not come to read it again. Your file may be ready by then.


Monday 29 April 2013

Quit NIPER

iconimg Monday, April 29, 2013
HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times
SAS Nagar, April 28, 2013
After a meeting between a high-powered committee and students of the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) failed to end the impasse on Saturday, around 500 students have pledged to discontinue studies at the institute if their demands are not met.



Students, who are protesting for the past one month, are demanding better infrastructure at the institute and resignation of officiating director KK Bhutani. The sacking of an assistant professor had triggered the protests last month.

When asked whether the institute is going to accept the students' decision or not, Bhutani refused to comment.
In a press release issued on Sunday, students said they were extremely dissatisfied with the outcome of the meeting. The tone and tenor of the committee members was highly discouraging and they constantly pressured students to drop the demand of the director's resignation, it added.
Students said they are still firm on their primary demand of the director's resignation. They alleged that when they saw that the committee was not ready to heed to their primary demand, students decided to block the main gate of the institute when the committee members were leaving after the marathon meeting.
Students alleged that the committee did not provide any solution to their problems and did not give any written assurance on solving their problems in future.
Though students have called off their hunger strike, they have decided to continue with their strike from Monday.


506 NIPER students write leaving notice

CHANDIGARH: Conveying their dissatisfaction with the administration of National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Mohali, in a meeting with the board of governors, 506 students decided to leave the institute, on Saturday. A written statement was handed over to the officials on Sunday. "The tone adopted by the committee members was highly discouraging and they constantly pressurized us to drop the demand of director's resignation," said Prajwal, a NIPER student.

The students blocked the main gate of the campus and delayed the departure of the members of the committee. "The committee did not provide any solution to the problems or even a written assurance," said another student Seema. Though the students have called off their hunger strike, they would continue to protest from Monday. They have been reiterating resignation of the officiating director K K Bhutani. "The director puts his officiating position as an excuse every time we ask for placements and raise other critical issues. We do not want a director who cannot exercise his powers for our welfare," rued the students.

The agitation has entered its 13th day and no classes have been held since it began. "We have been trying to enter into a dialogue with the students but, they are not willing to listen. They are stuck upon director's resignation," said a senior official at the NIPER.

Sunday 28 April 2013

Current condition of NIPER Mohali

A request from NIPER Mohali Students "Please see the website made by NIPER students and circulate to the honest person:"




Thursday 25 April 2013

NIPER Mohali got a Saffron hue

Indian Express

Express news service Posted online: Thu Apr 25 2013, 02:19 hrs

Chandigarh : The students of the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Mohali, continued their hunger strike on Wednesday. Members of the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) also came forward to support the protest.
“The authorities are trying to suppress the students by not meeting their demands. We have a central secretariat at Delhi which helps the students of such institutes whose voices are not heard by the authorities,” said Srinivas, National Secretary (North), ABVP.
He further said, “If the demands are not met then we will try to take up the matter in the Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha. We will also keep the issue in front of the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry and Ministry of Chemical and Fertilizers.”
Meanwhile, two more girls have been taken to hospital as the glucose level in their body reduced due to the hunger strike.
There was no medical facility available in the campus when the condition of the students deteriorated. The students thus called for an ambulance to take the girls to the hospital.
The hunger strike by the students of NIPER have reached the second day and till now four students have been taken to hospital due to exhaustion.
The students are on an indefinite hunger strike till their demands are met by the authorities.

Tuesday 23 April 2013

"I am not going to come to the Institute from tomorrow" Saranjit Singh

NIPER Students threaten hunger strike

Express news service Posted online: Tue Apr 23 2013, 02:07 hrs
Chandigarh : NIPER students continued their strike by protesting in front of the administrative block of the institute. They complained that despite continuous protests, no action had yet been taken to fulfil their demands and said they will go on a hunger strike from Tuesday if their demands are not met.
Professor Saranjit Singh, acting director of National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), S A S Nagar, Monday had written, “I am not going to come to the Institute from tomorrow. Thanks for all the love and respect my dear students,” on an open interest signature petition, demanding the resignation of the Officiating Director Professor K K Bhutani by the students.
Professor Singh refused to give any comments and said that it was an “internal matter”.
Students complained the construction of the girls’ hostel, which should have been completed latest by October 15 last year, has not even started.
“There is an insufficient number of rooms in the girls’ hostel due to which students have been accommodated in non-teaching staff quarters, and some of us have been accommodated in the boys’ hostel also,” complained the research scholars and masters students, protesting against the authorities.
Registrar Wing Commander (retd) P J P Singh Waraich said, “We have not yet received funds for construction of the girls’ hostel and we have provided adequate accommodation and facilities for the girls. We want students to talk to us directly.”
Talking about placements, a student alleged, “The number of students which the institute boasts of placing in companies is actually less than stated.”
The Dean, Professor U C Banerjee, said, “The information provided by the institute about the placements is correct. I do not have details available with me right now but the information is not false.”
Later in the evening, students carried out a silent protest in front of the Officiating Director’s residence. According to students, they wanted to talk to him regarding their demands. Police reached the spot as a preventive measure to ensure the situation doesn’t get out of control.

unconfirmed news Directors wife abused four girl student physically

Monday 22 April 2013

Sine die at NIPER

Mohali 10:30pm 22nd April 2013

Administration locked down .............

                        Laboratory locked down...................

                                                Students are agitating out side officiating directors resident, nobody ready to move without resignation  of officiating director

Death of a premier Institute

Students kicked out registrar and Officiating director from office and locked down administration on Friday, to day they are planing the same with faculty and research labs. Looking at the current situation I regret that I associated with NIPER for 12 years I should have left NIPER long back





Friday 19 April 2013

NIPER students burn effigy of director

Express news service Posted online: Fri Apr 19 2013, 02:30 hrs

Mohali : Students of the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), on Thursday burnt an effigy of the NIPER director after the authorities failed to fulfill their demands.
The students are now insisting that they will directly deal only with officials of the Ministry of Chemical and Fertilizers.
The students have been sitting on an indefinite strike.
As they burnt an effigy of the present director of NIPER in front of the gate of the institute, one of the students said, “We will sit on a hunger strike from Monday if our demands are not fulfilled by the authorities”.
“There was no result of the discussion which we had with our faculty about fulfilling our demands and thus we are trying to approach the ministry,” said another student.
The students of NIPER recalled their strike after a halt of 15 days as the time period was given to the authorities by the students to sort the differences out by fulfilling their demands.
The demands include the resignation of the present director and the appointment of a regular director at the institute, UGC (University Grants Commission) recognition for NIPER degrees, a dedicated placement official, and proper internet facility in the hostels. The demands also constitute calling back the terminated teachers on a temporary basis and initiation of recruitment of faculty, as according to the students, the research work and classes of the students are getting affected.