Faridabad MC forms panel to verify engineers’ qualifications

Faridabad, February 27

The Municipal Corporation of Faridabad (MCF) has constituted a four-member committee, headed by the Joint Commissioner, for seeking and verifying details about the educational and technical qualifications of the Engineering Department staff.

The committee was formed after the Urban Local Bodies (ULB) Department sought these details from all the civic bodies in the state. The authorities have been asked to submit these details within two weeks.

“The state government has passed directions regarding collection and verification of service data or documents relating to educational qualifications of each official working as XEN, Assistant Engineer, Municipal Engineer and Junior Engineer working in the municipalities of the state on directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in CWP 3976/2024 and 3958/2024,” read an order by the MCF Commissioner released on February 23.

Sources in the MC claim that it is perhaps the first time that details have been sought following complaints about officials getting promotions on the basis of degrees and qualifications from unauthorised institutions. While some officials have been demoted for getting their degrees through distance learning mode, many have been able to get promotions in violation of the rules.

The aforementioned committee will assess the incumbents’ various details, including their appointment date, degree/diploma which was the basis for promotions, permission for getting further qualifications, leave taken for acquiring a qualification while in job and the date of joining on deputation, if any. However the officials at the Superintending Engineer (SE) and chief engineer level have been spared from the exercise, it is reported.

The ULB Department has reverted four officials holding the post of Assistant Engineer to Junior Engineer, presently posted at Faridabad, Manesar, Rohtak and Sonepat, perhaps on the basis of not having a degree from a recognised institution, it is claimed.

An Executive Engineer in the MCF was reverted to SDO-level three years ago on similar ground, though he had got promoted as SE later. It is claimed that as the ULB Department recognise only the qualification acquired in regular mode of learning, this condition has been ignored for promotion in many cases.