Dr. V. M. Katoch served as Chairman of the Board of Governors (BoG) at NIPER Mohali for six years (2011-2014 and October 2, 2016, to October 1, 2019). His tenure was marked by controversies, including questionable administrative decisions, irregular hiring practices, and conflicts within the institution.
During his tenure, Dr. Katoch justified the hiring of Mr. H. C. Sehgal, a retired Senior Principal from the private sector, as a consultant for NIPER Mohali. He reasoned that NIPER-related matters took up his time, requiring dedicated assistance.
Mr. Sehgal was paid a fixed consultancy fee, along with reimbursement for travel and dearness allowances, based on his last drawn pay scale. His engagement letter, dated August 6, 2012, was issued by Mr. PJP Singh Waraich and was known to key NIPER officials, including the then-director Dr. K. K. Bhutani and the Finance & Accounts Officer (F&AO). These individuals were later named in a CBI FIR, which remains pending in the CBI Court at Mohali.
During his first term, Dr. Katoch permitted faculty recruitment through rolling advertisements, a practice not authorized under NIPER’s recruitment rules. This method was used to hire several faculty members, including Dr. Joydev Laha, who is now a Professor and Head of the Department of Process Technology. Notably, these appointments were made when the BoG was not in existence, even though the BoG is the official appointing authority for faculty positions.
However, in June 2018, when NIPER Director Dr. Raghuram Rao Akkinepally proposed using rolling advertisements for faculty recruitment, Dr. Katoch opposed it. Dr. Rao cited prior recruitments under the same process, which had been approved by Dr. Katoch himself. Yet, in a letter dated December 20, 2017, Dr. Katoch prohibited Dr. Rao from using rolling advertisements, later stating via email (December 27, 2017) that such policy matters should be discussed in the BoG. Ironically, he had earlier addressed rolling advertisements as an agenda item (54.16) during the BoG’s 54th meeting on August 2, 2011. His stance shifted drastically during Dr. Rao’s tenure, raising concerns over inconsistency and governance.
Dr. M. R. Doreswamy, Chancellor of PES University and a BoG member, repeatedly opposed Dr. Katoch’s actions. In an email dated June 20, 2018, he questioned the Chairman’s unilateral decision-making, particularly in the case of Mr. PJP Singh Waraich’s suspension by Dr. Rao. Dr. Doreswamy suggested that such critical matters should be deliberated in BoG meetings rather than being decided hastily.
In another instance, he pointed out procedural violations during a BoG meeting on December 20, 2018. According to him, the actual number of members present was only six, and one member, Prof. Anil K. Gupta from IIM Ahmedabad, left at 11:30 a.m., though the meeting continued until 3:00 p.m. Out of 23 members, only five remained, rendering the proceedings questionable. Additionally, he accused Dr. Katoch of showing undue favoritism towards Mr. Waraich while not showing the same respect to Dr. Rao as the institution’s Director.
Dr. Rao suspended Mr. Jitender Kumar Chandel for various acts of omission and commission. In the 77th BoG meeting, the issue was recorded as item (8) 77.2.27 under “Appeal of Shri J. K. Chandel for Ad-hoc Disciplinary Authority.”
Despite clear provisions in the NIPER Act and Statutes that an appeal can only be made against a penalty, the BoG considered Chandel’s appeal. Dr. Katoch, acting beyond his authority, revoked Chandel’s suspension and appointed an ad-hoc disciplinary authority. The BoG then pressured Dr. Rao to implement this decision, further highlighting governance concerns at the institute.
Dr. V. M. Katoch’s tenure as BoG Chairman at NIPER Mohali was mired in controversy, characterized by inconsistent policies, questionable hiring practices, and undue interference in administrative decisions. His actions not only raised concerns about procedural integrity but also contributed to institutional instability. With pending CBI investigations and unresolved governance issues, the repercussions of his leadership continue to cast a shadow over NIPER’s credibility
