To retain own man at helm, HRD ministry cancels ICSSR meet

NEW DELHI: In a surprise move, the meeting of the full council of the Indian Council of Social Science Research scheduled for Wednesday was called off in the last minute at the behest of HRD ministry. The long overdue meeting of the council was to adopt the budget for the new financial year.

ICSSR sources said what irked the ministry is the confidential agenda of the meeting that was to finalize search-cum-selection committee to appoint the new member-secretary. Present member-secretary Ramesh Dadich, whose term expired few months ago, has been given extension till further notice.

"Ministry is in favour of Dadich continuing in the post," an ICSSR official said. He added, "Ministry feels that since the existing council's term got over last November it should leave big decisions for the new council."

Highly placed ICSSR officials said the decision to call off the meeting was conveyed late on Tuesday evening but by then many outstation council members had arrived in the city. Sources said Council members informally met and discussed various issues.

"We are still hopeful that a formal meeting can take place on Thursday or Friday. Agenda of the meeting can change. The official reason given to us was that since the new education secretary would not be able to attend the meeting it should be cancelled," one ICSSR official said.

However, ICSSR officials say the existing Council has also initiated the process of selection for Amartya Sen award. Officials also said rules of the award have been changed after anomalies were pointed out. ICSSR's governing council had said it is not proper that even members of the governing council could nominate people for the award.

The final approval of the awardees was also done by the governing council and this raised issue of conflict of interest. It is likely that the already delayed award might be further delayed since constitution of the new council will take a long time.