University of Kashmir’s Central Library goes to dogs as incompetent person given charge

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By: Malik Jehangir

SRINAGAR: Iqbal library at the University of Kashmir campus is the central library for not only the main campus but also satellite campuses of the university and it has always been headed by a professional competent person but not at the present moment.

Sources said that it is not known who has pushed the present incumbent to this position of prime importance. The present Librarian got his appointment in the university through ‘backdoor’ even though he was not eligible for university job, sources said.

“He was appointed in violation of statutes and was permitted to improve his eligibility while in the job. He has a poor record as an academic and is remotely suited to the job. There is a huge vested interest involved in the whole scenario with money being the main motivating force,” said sources.

Sources said that since the budget of the library is in crores there are some people in the administration that push through the sub-standard books and earn lakhs. They said that in the past renowned academicians like Professor Ghulam Rasool Malik and Professor Mohammad Zaman Azurda were given the mantle of librarian at the Central Library with the incumbent librarian not fitting the bill anywhere.

“The incumbent librarian should be removed since he did division improvement within the job and at the time of division improvement he was himself paper setter and evaluator. This is a unique case of internal bungling in the university. His weak credentials are coming handy to present administration to play all foul games with the central library,” said sources.

Sources said that at a time when universities are deputing their library staff to foreign universities to update their knowledge of library sciences, unfortunately the University of Kashmir is busy in dismantling its central university. This means that students as well as researchers are not able to reap benefits of positive changes taking in the field of library sciences.

“The university has already hired the services of a doctor from outside to boost the capacity of the university health centre. Likewise trained professionals can be hired so that the central library doesn’t become a playing field for vested interests. Many professional people have retired at age of 60 from degree colleges and the university can hire them,” said sources.

Sources said that some professional people from SPS Museums and Library who are about to retire can be given charge so as to restore the sanctity of the Central Library adding that some professionals from the library of erstwhile state assembly are also available. They said the university can advertise the post on a fast track basis and up to that point of time professional people from within university can be given the charge.