Tripura University Cancels Controversial Appointments Amid Allegations of Irregularities During Former Registrar’s Tenure

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, January 7, 2026

Tripura University has cancelled an earlier office order related to the engagement of four Daily Rated Workers (DRW, Group ‘D’), triggering renewed discussions over a series of alleged administrative irregularities said to have taken place during the tenure of former Registrar Dr. Deepak Sharma.

An official order issued by the University on January 6, 2026, with the approval of the competent authority, cancelled the previous engagement order, bringing an end to appointments that had remained under scrutiny.

Meanwhile, reliable sources have alleged that during his tenure, Dr. Deepak Sharma had engaged one of his close relatives, Shri Amit Kumar, in the office of an Under Secretary at the Ministry of Education, Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi, shortly after assuming charge as Registrar of Tripura University in March 2021. Sources further claim that the engagement did not follow the mandatory provisions of the General Financial Rules (GFR) 2017, particularly Chapter 6, Rule 197, which mandates open advertisement and a transparent selection process for manpower engagement, including outsourcing.

According to the allegations, no open advertisement was issued for the said engagement. It has also been alleged that Shri Amit Kumar functioned primarily in the interest of Dr. Sharma and that his remuneration was enhanced periodically, rising from an initial salary of around Rs. 23,000 to approximately Rs. 40,000 per month. This, sources point out, stood in sharp contrast to similarly engaged personnel at Tripura University who reportedly received around Rs. 10,000 per month.

Sources have further alleged that Dr. Sharma maintained an inappropriate give-and-take relationship with certain officials in the Ministry of Education, resulting in alleged financial irregularities and misuse of public funds. These claims, however, are yet to be independently verified.

It has also been alleged that four staff members engaged during Dr. Sharma’s tenure were appointed in violation of GFR-2017 norms and that illegal monetary benefits were extracted from them. On his last working day, January 2, 2026, Dr. Sharma allegedly issued several appointment orders, including one for a driver associated with a former Vice-Chancellor of MBB University, Agartala, and three other appointments, which have since become controversial.

Another major allegation relates to the extension of service of journalist, as Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Tripura University for another year, reportedly up to March 31, 2027. Sources allege that this extension too was granted without any open advertisement, in violation of GFR-2017 norms. It has further been claimed that the extension was aimed at securing favourable media coverage for the former Registrar, similar to earlier instances.

University stakeholders have expressed concern over these developments, stating that such alleged deviations from established financial and administrative rules have adversely affected transparency and institutional credibility. With the cancellation of the DRW engagement order and the exit of the former Registrar, there is growing expectation that the University administration will initiate a thorough review of appointments and engagements made during the period in question.

No official response from Dr. Deepak Sharma or the individuals named in the allegations was available at the time of filing this report.

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