‘Irregularities’ in faculty hiring trigger protest at MNNIT director’s residence

The protesting teachers, who have been demonstrating on the institute campus since Saturday, claimed that proper procedures were not followed during the recruitment of associate professors and professors.

PRAYAGRAJ Alleging irregularities in the recent faculty recruitment process at Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology (MNNIT), a group of female teachers and wives of male teachers staged a protest at the director’s residence on Sunday evening.

A group of female teachers and wives of male teachers staged a protest at the director’s residence on Sunday evening. (HT Photo)

Several male teachers of the institute also stood nearby as the demonstration continued until late evening. Concerned about a potential law and order issue, the institute administration called in the police, including female officers, to the scene to maintain peace.

The protesting teachers, who have been demonstrating on the institute campus since Saturday, claimed that proper procedures were not followed during the recruitment of associate professors and professors. As a result, despite meeting all the required criteria, their applications were rejected. Numerous faculty members of the institute had submitted applications for these positions.

The demonstrators also alleged that several positions were left unfilled under the category of “NFS” (None Found Suitable), even when candidates fulfilled the eligibility criteria. They demanded access to the recommendations provided by the experts who were part of the selection committee that interviewed them. Furthermore, they asserted that the reservation roster was disregarded during the recruitment process.

Since Saturday, the teachers have been protesting to assert their demands. On Sunday at 11 am, the teachers convened a meeting and subsequently staged a protest near the administrative block. By around 6 pm, a substantial number of affected female teachers and wives of affected male teachers gathered at the director’s residence, initiating a sit-in protest first outside the main gate and later on the portico within the house campus.

As the protest gained momentum, a police team, including female officers, arrived at the scene to maintain order. At the time of filing this report, the protest was ongoing.

The protesting teachers also warned that if their demands are not addressed, they will formally lodge a complaint with the Union ministry of education and even take legal action. A letter from the MNNIT Teacher’s Association regarding this matter has also circulated on social media. However, Ambak Rai, the secretary of the association, stated that he was unaware of such a letter.