The University of Jammu has come under sharp criticism in a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), which flagged arbitrary and selective extension of Career Advancement Scheme (CAS) benefits. The report exposes how the University bypassed established norms, granting CAS perks—meant for Assistant Registrars and Deputy Registrars—to a few chosen posts on a case-to-case basis.
The report highlights the absence of any uniform policy for non-teaching staff, pointing to ad-hoc decision-making and raising serious concerns over transparency, accountability, and institutional integrity.
The CAG report on the working of the university, stated that test check of records of 360 out of 1,192 non-teaching employees of the University showed that inadmissible financial up-gradations had been granted to these employees due to faulty implementation of three tier CAS, premature promotions, and non-adoption of a uniform policy for promotions resulting in excess payment of pay and allowances and pensionary benefits.
In an ad-hoc and arbitrary manner on a case-to-case basis with selective application of rules, the university decided career advancement of 17 posts, including Assistant Director Technology Support System, Public Relation Officers, Assistant Director/ Deputy Director Directorate of Internal Quality Assurance (DIQA) and Assistant Administrative Officers. The University decided their career advancements in an ad-hoc and arbitrary manner on a case-to-case basis, with selective application of rules, the CAG said.
“The reply of the Registrar reaffirms the audit observation that the University had not formulated a uniform career advancement scheme for its isolated posts and had irregularly extended the benefits of CAS applicable to Assistant Registrar/ Deputy Registrars to few selected posts”, the CAG said.
Taking a serious note of pick and choose in granting CAS to the university staff, the CAG said that the “Ministry of Human Resources Development (MoHRD) notified (December 2008) the scheme for revision of pay of teachers and equivalent cadres after which UGC constituted a Joint Cadre Review Committee (JCRC) for evolving a uniform cadre structure and rationalisation of pay scales, duties, qualifications of the posts of non-teaching staff. The recommendations of JCRC approved by MoHRD were communicated (October 2014) to all Universities by the UGC for implementation”.
“As per these recommendations, CAS was to be allowed to Assistant Registrars and Deputy Registrars after eight and five years of service respectively. In respect of technical and similarly situated posts, system of MACP was applicable according to which upgradations are granted after a service of 10 years. University of Jammu adopted these recommendations from June 2015”.
“Audit observed that the University had created (between June 2004 and April 2014) various isolated 17 posts in the scale of ₹ 8,000-13,500 including the posts of Assistant Director Technology Support System, Public Relation Officers, Assistant Director/ Deputy Director Directorate of Internal Quality Assurance (DIQA) and Assistant Administrative Officers without framing RRs for these posts. Consequent to implementation of recommendations of the 6th Pay Commission, the incumbents to these posts were placed in the pay band of ₹ 15,600-39,100 with grade pay of ₹ 5,400. Instead of applying MACP uniformly for financial upgradation of these non-teaching posts, the University decided their career advancements in an ad-hoc and arbitrary manner on a case-to-case basis, with selective application of rules. The posts of Deputy Director, DIQA and Assistant Director Technology Support were treated as equivalent to Deputy Registrar and Assistant Registrars respectively, and UGC norms irregularly applied for their career progression. Similarly, a Career Advancement Scheme notified by the University of Kashmir was selectively adopted for financial upgradation of two Public Relation Officers (PROs) which allowed financial upgradation after a period of five years only against ten years applicable as per MACP. However, financial upgradation sought by an Assistant Administrative Officer on the analogy of Deputy Director, (DIQA) and Assistant Director Technology Support was refused, which led her to approach Court for redressal of grievances. Non application of MACP for financial upgradation resulted in excess payment of pay and allowance of ₹ 0.19 crore to four non-teaching employees”, the CAG said”.
“Registrar stated (February 2025) that the University of Jammu had extended the benefits of scheme applicable to Assistant Registrars and equivalents in favour of Deputy Director, DIQA and Assistant Director, Centre for ITES&M.
It was further added that University Council of University of Kashmir in its 77th meeting (22 April 2017) approved the CAS of PROs and resolved that the same shall be applicable to University of Jammu which accordingly notified (07 May 2018) the same CAS for its PROs.
The reply reaffirms the audit observation that the University had not formulated a uniform career advancement scheme for its isolated posts and had irregularly extended the benefits of CAS applicable to Assistant Registrar/ Deputy Registrars to few selected posts”, the CAG added.