The Bihar government has temporarily suspended its recent directive to freeze the bank accounts of state-run universities and has called for a review meeting with university authorities on March 9. This move comes amid an ongoing conflict between the education department and the Raj Bhavan.

Previously, the state government had ordered the freezing of bank accounts for all state universities (except one) and withheld the salaries of vice-chancellors for alleged absenteeism at an education department meeting last month. The Raj Bhavan had intervened, instructing banks to override the freeze order.

The Higher Education Department’s Deputy Director, Deepak Kumar Singh, has urged all vice-chancellors to attend the March 9 review meeting, assuring that university accounts will remain unfrozen until then.

Ahead of the meeting, the Raj Bhavan issued a letter warning vice-chancellors against leaving their stations without prior permission, emphasizing the governor’s authority as the chancellor of state universities.

The state education department had previously filed police complaints against non-attending vice-chancellors and warned of FIRs and withheld salaries if satisfactory explanations were not provided.

Despite attempts, Bihar Education Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary could not be reached for comment.

Source: PTI

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