Who is Milind Dandekar, the New Kulguru of Bhoj Open University?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Milind Dandekar appointed as Kulguru of Bhoj Open University.
- Appointment term: four years or until age 70.
- Service conditions governed by Ordinance 1-A.
- University faced controversies over hiring practices.
- High Court mandated fresh recruitment processes.
Bhopal, Sep 30 (NationPress) Madhya Pradesh Governor Mangubhai Patel has officially designated Milind Dattatreya Dandekar as the 'Kulguru' of Madhya Pradesh Bhoj (Open) University located in Bhopal, as per a government announcement on Tuesday.
Mr. Dandekar's tenure as 'Kulguru' is set for four years, commencing from the date he takes charge and continuing until he reaches the age of 70.
The conditions and regulations of his service will be aligned with Ordinance 1-A of the university.
According to the statement, Dandekar is affiliated with the Department of Industrial Production Engineering at Govindram Seksaria Institute of Technology and Science in Indore.
In recent years, Bhoj Open University has faced scrutiny due to accusations of irregularities in the recruitment of professors and staff.
Critics alleged that individuals from unrelated fields were involved in the selection process for certain subjects, which raised legal concerns.
This issue regarding hiring discrepancies from 2015 escalated to the Madhya Pradesh High Court.
In April, the court mandated the annulment of several appointments made in 2015 for various positions, including professors, at Bhoj Open University.
The court concluded that the selection committee failed to adequately evaluate the academic qualifications of each candidate.
Several assessment columns were left unfilled by the committee without justification.
The High Court described the selection process as significantly flawed.
A division bench reversed a previous ruling, instructing the issuance of new job advertisements for these positions.
It was also noted that the committee's decision to award high marks in interviews led to the disregard of other qualified candidates, indicating a bias in the selection process.