RU recruits candidate in class one job before graduation

The vice-chancellor of Rajshahi University, Saleh Hasan Naqib, has appointed a candidate to a class one job on an ad hoc basis at the university’s ICT center before the publication of his graduation results. 

The appointment was made on 18 November, as per an office order signed by the university’s acting registrar, Professor Iftikharul Alam Masud. 

According to the order, the candidate – Momen Khandaker Opi – was recruited as an assistant programmer of the ICT center for six months on an ad hoc basis, with a salary range of Tk 22,000-53,060. The appointment took effect immediately. 

However, it was learned that the candidate’s final graduation results were not published at the time of his appointment. 

Momen Khandaker was a student of the computer science and engineering department under the 2018-19 academic session of the university and he received his final examination results on 12 December, almost a month after his appointment. He passed with a CGPA of 3.20.

When asked about the qualifications, the acting registrar said the position of assistant programmer falls under the rank of section officer, a class one job that requires a minimum bachelor degree.  

According to RU teachers, as per employment rules, an individual must have completed their graduation before securing a class one job. If the candidate is appointed before publication of his result, it is a violation of the rules. 

On the condition of anonymity, a professor said nobody can be appointed to a class one position before receiving the final graduation certificate. It is not consistent with the rules. Such a practice will bring nothing good for the university.

A former director of the ICT center echoed the remark, saying that for an assistant programmer position, a bachelor degree from a computer-related engineering discipline is mandatory. Without it, the candidate’s highest qualification would be considered as HSC. And, there is no scope to be appointed to the position with the HSC certificate. 

When contacted, Momen Khandaker Opi defended his appointment, saying, “I was appointed in November, after my graduation exams. I joined the job then. There was a delay in publishing our official results. However, I provided unofficial documents.”

In this regard, VC Saleh Hasan Naqib said, “I have just come to know about the matter. I need to look into whether he was appointed as an ‘appeared’. I left the matter to the director of the ICT center. I will talk to the registrar and the ICT center director over the rules.”