Arun Kumar Sinha. Picture by Suman

Gaya, June 23: Pro vice-chancellor of BN Mandal University Arun Kumar Sinha joined Magadh University as an acting vice-chancellor (VC) today, ending the varsity’s 49-day-long wait for a person at the helm.

The university faced a number of problems in the past three months because of the VC’s absence. The academic sessions at the university were in a state of jeopardy and the salaries of the teaching and non-teaching employees were not paid.

Sinha has ordered for the disbursement of the pending salaries of the employees for March, April and May.

The state human resource development (HRD) department had allocated around Rs 64 crore for the salaries of the varsity employees. This could not be sanctioned earlier, as it required the VC’s signature.

The Magadh University non-teaching association had launched an agitation against the non-payment of the employees’ salaries.

After a meeting with the university officials, Sinha said his first priority would be to streamline the academic sessions by conducting the delayed examinations and ensuring quick results.

Several exams, including undergraduate Part-I, postgraduate and BEd examinations, were supposed to be completed by May but they have not been held so far. Because of the delay, many students could not get admission in postgraduate courses.

On May 4, Patna High Court had quashed the appointment of Arvind Kumar Tripathi as Magadh University VC after hearing a case filed by Pramod Kumar Singh, a teacher at SP Jain College in Sasaram.