by reciprocal arrangement with Star of Mysore

Bangalore, July 19: Can you imagine a college with two Principals. Though sounds stupid, it is a fact. Not one but six First Grade Colleges in State have two Principals each, that too appointed by the Government itself !

The six colleges already had Principals. A meaningless Government Order has brought six more on transfers. The funny thing is the instruction has come straight from the horse's mouth — the Chief Minister's office !

The unfortunate six colleges are located in Bannur, Chikkanayakanahalli, Kudligi, Bangarpet, Maddur and Kudoor.

On promotion, Principals were posted from various colleges to the said six colleges on June 19. They have already reported for duty also. Surprisingly on July 13, the Government issued a notification indicating posting of new Principals to the same six colleges.

N. Rajagopal from Government Science College in Bangalore was promoted and posted as Principal at the First Grade College in Bangarpet. To the same college, S. Sriram has been posted as Principal on transfer.

The names of Principals of other five colleges with the names of transferees in brackets are, Bannur College — Nataraj (Purushotham), Chikkanayakanahalli — L.T. Shivashankar (Varadaraj), Kudligi — Shivamur-thygowda (H.M. Bhoothanala), Maddur — D. Krishnegowda (S. Lingannaiah) and Koodur — H. Kusuma (M. Ramaswamy).

The posting of two Principals is bound to create several administrative and technical problems.

Commissioner's letter

Surprisingly, the Commissioner of Higher Education Department M.V. Jayanthi has reportedly written a letter to the Government on June 29 stating that all the posts had been filled up. Despite that the Principal Secretary of the Department issued a notification on July 13 stating that Principals had been posted to the said six colleges on transfer.

As per the Government guidelines, a person should serve for a minimum period of three years at any given place. Though the Department was aware of that, the transfers were reportedly effected at the instance of the Chief Minister, as per sources.

The Department Principal Secretary Koushik Mukherjee says that the new Government order only will hold good. Those Principals who have been posted on promotion should have to revert to their earlier positions, he opines.

Piquant situation

However, Kaushik's argument will open door for administrative hazzles.

It is impossible for the Principals to revert to their earlier positions. The question is, how the tangle could be resolved.

This is just a simple case of bad co-ordination among senior Government officers whose decisions are playing with the lives of hapless employees. Lack of fore-thought was the only reason behind the bungling, opine sources in the Department.