24/10/2020
Press note
Dr. Manish S Bihade, PhD (Metallurgy), M.Tech. (Metallurgy), B.E. (Prod.)
Principal, Wainganga College of Engineering and Management, Nagpur
I am working as RTMNU approved Principal in the Wainganga College of Engineering & Management (WCEM) since 11/01/2018. I have been offering my best to the college for its development and the welfare of students and my staff.
My father Mr. Shripatrao P. Bihade (age 68) was tested Covid-19 positive on 13/09/2020. Immediately I took him to the hospital. He was admitted in hospital for treatment. As per doctors advice and government guide lines, me and my family members got quarantined for next 15 days. I was much tensed and praying GOD to save my family. I informed the college about the situation at my home.
The President of the sanstha running our college Dr. Bramanand Karanjekar was very well aware of the situation, still he was pressurizing me to remain present in an interview of the college. I refused to do so as we all know Covid-19 is highly contagious and I did not want to put anybody from the college at risk as I had a COVID +ve patient at my place. Suddenly on 15/09/2020 afternoon I received my termination and reliving letter through speed post signed by President Dr. Bramanand Karanjekar. No UGC procedure was followed in the process of termination and no charges were framed against me in this letter. The termination is just the outcome of the issues and shortcoming of the management raised by me in the last few months. After termination I took legal advice from professional advocates, they suggest me to appeal in college and university tribunal Nagpur. Accordingly I appealed in the college and university tribunal. As soon as the president Dr. B. B. Karanjekar come to know about this he sent me another letter by speed post stating the withdraw of termination. In this letter he stated that he wanted to conduct an enquiry about my so called misconducts, misbehavior, etc. I am very disturbed by his behavior.
Issue No 1
Now the president is trying to frame fake charges against me. In the last month the uniform supplier of the college filed a complaint against Dr. Bramanand Karanjekar for not making the payment and his misbehavior at Hingna police station. Now Dr. Karanjekar is trying to get his name removed from the complaint and insert my name by pressurizing the uniform supplier through one of the faculty members. The uniform supplier is being asked to take my name as the main accused. The uniform suppliers are present with me and I am also having recorded audio clip of a phone call between the faculty member and the uniform supplier.
Issue No 2
The college is having sufficient funds to make the salary of staff members. Still college has not made salary for last six months. The president has made a very inhuman and illegal rule of making salary, only if the employees bring five admissions of engineering first year students. Against every admission the salary for 1 month is credited. This is a regular practice for last many years. Most of the staff members fail to do so and work without salary of five months every year. Many old staff members have registered complaint against the president Dr. Bramanand Karanjekar in last few years. More than 30 police complaints have been registered against him till date by students and faculty members in the Hingna Police Station.
Although this seems to be my personal problem I want to bring it to public notice, so that the college should be stopped from committing such illegal practices. Because such harassing practices in private colleges brings down the moral of teaching faculty and ultimately affects the quality of teaching and quality of Engineers coming out from such colleges.
Issue No 3
The college under the direct directions of the President Dr. Bramhanand Karanjekar, is deeply involved in financial irregularities. The University had imposed an audit on the college accounts but no action has been taken yet. The list of the financial irregularities is unending but I am quoting a few for reference and with a strong prayer to the authorities that it should be thoroughly investigated:
1. Charging excess fees from students (over and above the fees prescribed by the Fees Regulating Authority (FRA), Govt. of Maharashtra)
2. Not paying salaries to teaching and non teaching as per the scale prescribed by AICTE and UGC
3. Running an institute supposedly imparting technical education with insufficient and under qualified staff.
4. Showing the names of faculties which are not working with the institution to AICTE without the proper approval and appointment of the faculties shown.
5. Irregularities of ownership of Land of the college
6. Providing false information to FRA, in order to increase the fees of the college
7. Appointing commercial agents to secure admissions in the college. Many times such agents in the greed of getting hefty commissions misguide the students and force them to take admission in such institutes.
8. No basic amenities at the Girls and the Boys Hostel making it a very unusable place to live.
Apart from this Dr. Karanjekar is regularly involved in physically assaulting students and faculty members. Numerous cases have been registered against him in many such cases.
It is my sincere effort to protect the interest of the students studying in such institutions, the faculties teaching there and the non teaching staff working there. Such colleges are surviving only on the scholarship amounts given by the state government. The quality of teaching and other facilities they provide against such hefty fees and scholarships from the government is a sheer waste of the public money. And in the interest of all the stakeholders involved I urge the University, FRA, AICTE, UGC, DTE and the state government to conduct a thorogh enquiry of the college as well as the sanstha. This will expose the numerous criminal wrongdoings of the President Dr. Bramhanand Karanjekar and protect the future of our students and faculties.
Thanks and regards.
