The process of appointing 15 lecturers in four departments against 10 posts is now on. The syndicate at a meeting tomorrow will finalise their appointments, JU sources said.

The 15 include seven for botany department against five posts, two for English and four for Bangla department against three posts advertised for and two for mathematics department without any advertisements.

Moreover, 31 lecturers were appointed till March 1 this year in 10 departments against 20 posts advertised for or not advertised at all. They were appointed since the incumbent vice chancellor (VC) took over on March 20 last year.

"Links with teachers who are close to the VC and political affiliation matter much in appointment of teachers. Besides, wives of teachers and their relatives are also getting priority over candidates with proper qualification, posing a threat to the standard of education at the university," a senior teacher said seeking anonymity.

Many other teachers and students expressed similar views.

Citing examples, they said Shuvra Singha, wife of Assistant Prof Shyamol Kumar Das of Pharmacy department, already got appointed in environmental science department. P Singha, wife of Prof Shyamol Kumar Roy; Tahmina Zamali, wife of botany department Chairman Associate Prof Nazmul Alam; Abeda Sultana, wife of Proctor Sayed Kamrul Ahsan; Laizu Hossain, wife of Assistant Prof Md Sanwar Hossain and Nahid Huq, wife of a relative of Lecturer Abdullah Hel Kafi, have been selected for appointment in botany, mathematics, English and Bangla departments.

The syndicate meeting tomorrow will take up their cases.

"It appears that the university has become a rehabilitation centre for wives of teachers and their relatives," said a final year student.

The 31 lecturers appointed till March 1 include four in government and politics department, five in zoology against two posts advertised for, three in environmental science against one post, five in archaeology against three posts, two in anthropology, two in urban and regional planning, five in biochemistry and molecular science against three posts, two in international relations and one in English department. Two lecturers appointed in computer science and engineering department without any advertisements for the posts are also among them.

Vice Chancellor Khandaker Mustahidur Rahman however rejected the allegations concerning the appointments.

"The syndicate never took any decision which went against students' interests. All appointments and selections were made properly considering the qualifications of the candidates, " he said.