Odisha Guv’s Office Asks OUAT To Get Pasupalak’s Retirement Benefits Refunded, Scrap Discretionary Quota; Know Why

Bhubaneswar: The Governor’s Secretariat has ordered the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) to get excess pension and other superannuation benefits of former Vice-Chancellor Prof Surendranath Pasupalak refunded.

The university has also been asked to scrap the ‘discretionary quota’ for admission to undergraduate courses.

The order came following a probe conducted by the Governor’s Principal Secretary Saswat Mishra into allegations of nepotism against Pasupalak in admissions to undergraduate courses during the 2017-18 academic session.

He also faced allegations of availing undue pensionary benefits.

The inquiry found that two candidates were admitted into undergraduate courses in 2017-18 under ‘discretionary quota’, which was till then non-existent.

The two seats under ‘discretionary quota’ were created in OUAT that year. The seats were regularised after post facto approval of the Board of Management and the Odisha government.

The probe also found that the number of NRI seats in undergraduate courses at the College of Agriculture was increased in 2017-18 after approval of the Board of Faculty, Academic Council, Admission Committee and Board of Management.

The Governor’s Secretariat has suggested scrapping the ‘discretionary quota’ and not to exceed the seat limit under NRI quota.

The probe did not find any documentary evidence that Pasupalak had joined OUAT service carrying lien in his Birsa Agriculture University (BAU), Ranchi, post.

The proposal for amalgamation of his past service was initiated by the then Comptroller of Finance, OUAT, and approved by Pasupalak himself.

As he himself took the decision to amalgamate his past service, the university has been asked to re-calculate his pension and other superannuation, and get excess pension and other superannuation dues received by Pasupalak refunded or adjusted from his future pension.