A N Sinha Institute employees up in arms against director

Patna,(BiharTimes): The A N Sinha Institute of Social Studies Employees’ Association has sought the immediate removal of its director D M Diwakar, on the plea that his weak administrative capability led to deterioration in its standard and non-payment of salaries and pension. 

Speaking to the media on Sunday its president, Prof N K Choudhary, blamed the director for the bad condition of the Institute. He alleged that the Institute once known for high quality research has fallen into disrepute as no good work is being done here in the last few years.

Choudhary, himself a senior Professor of Patna University, said that earlier, renowned international scholars like Sir John Hawkes and Amartya Sen had visited the institute. But now, only research works sponsored by government agencies are being carried out here.

The Employees’ Association president also charged that many employees, both those in service and retired, are not getting their remuneration. 

He accused Diwakar of using the resources of the Institute, such as cars and staff, for his personal work. The Institute claims that it does not have the funds to pay the employees but it recently spent crores in renovating the director’s bungalow, he added.

Reports said that Diwakar moved to the new bungalow, which had been used as Aryabhatta Knowledge University. 

Diwakar, on the other hand, refuted all the charges and said the annual report of the Institute is enough to highlight its achievements. 

He said when he joined the Institute four years ago, there were only four faculty members, now there are 18. The Institute did not have a journal at that time, now, it has. The library is one of the best in east India. He also claimed that the Institute is conducting research with UNDP, UNESCO and ILO. 

Whatever be the demand of employee academics in the state capital are concerned over the deterioration of A N Sinha Institute of Social Studies in the last few years. They do not put all the blames on the director alone, but also on on the state government for the present state of affairs. No doubt even till late 1990s the Institute used to attract scholars from outside.