The North Bengal University which has been running without a vice-chancellor for the past one month will face another administrative crisis with the retirement of finance officer S.N. Saha on February 28.
“He (finance officer) is the drawing and disbursing officer (DDO) of the varsity and is authorised to draw money from banks and make payments. As he will retire in four days, there will be none to look after the finances of the NBU,” said a senior faculty member.
Saha will retire on February 28.
According to the faculty member, the finance officer maintains the salary accounts of over 700 employees of the NBA. They include permanent, contractual and casual employees and daily wage staff.
The VC’s post has been vacant since January 25 when Omprakash Mishra, a professor of Jadavpur University who had been holding the charge on an interim basis, completed his tenure.
“We are already facing problems in carrying out different administrative and academic activities because of the VC’s absence. Once the finance officer’s chair becomes vacant, our problems will increase,” said an official.
Omprakash Mishra. File picture
At the NBU, the permanent, contractual and casual employees get their salaries on the first day of the month while those working on a daily wage basis are paid on the fifth or sixth day.
“Since the finance officer cannot authorise any payment after February 28, disbursal of daily wages might be hit in March,” said a source.
Senior officials at the NBUsaid they had not received any direction from the state higher education department till Friday, informing them that Saha’s tenure had been extended.
“Also, only the VC and the executive council have the authority to assign someone to take charge as the finance officer. We have no idea how financial issues would be handled from next Wednesday,” said Pranab Ghosh, the director of the research and development cell at the NBU.