The Kerala high court on Monday stayed the appointment of Priya Varghese — the wife of the chief minister’s private secretary, K K Ragesh— as an associate professor in Kannur University and issued notices to the University Grants Commission (UGC) on a petition filed by second rank holder Joseph Scaria.
In his petition, Scaria said Varghese was interviewed for the post despite a lack of requisite teaching experience and given first rank in violation of the norms. Scaria alleged that he was given the second spot despite a research score of 651, as compared to Varghese’s 156.
Varghese was proposed for appointment as an associate professor in Kannur University’s Malayalam department in November 2021. The move triggered a huge political row.
Last week, Governor Arif Mohammad Khan stayed her appointment and issued show-cause notices to the varsity’s vice-chancellor, Gopinath Ravindran, and other officials in connection with the matter. He also termed the appointment “a case of favouritism and nepotism”.
The CPI(M) had hit out at the Governor’s move saying his appointment to the constitutional post was also a politically motivated decision.
Meanwhile, the state government is preparing to table the University Laws (Amendment) Bill that reduces the power of the Governor in appointing VCs.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, the state government is preparing to table the University Laws (Amendment) Bill that reduces the power of the Governor in appointing VCs.
{{/usCountry}}In his plea on Monday, Scaria alleged that Varghese was ranked first after an interview conducted by a panel led by V-C Ravindran in November, 2021. He also sought a new list for the post after omitting her name.
A single bench of Justice Devan Ramachandran stayed Varghese’s appointment till August 31 and sent notices to the UGC.
On Monday, Varghese wrote in a Facebook post that she was targeted because she was the wife of a Communist leader. She explained the difference between her and Scaria’s research score saying it was because she submitted a list of her articles published only in UGC-approved journals in Malayalam. She added that the research score is used only to shortlist candidates.
The court has asked the UGC to clarify the issue of Varghese’s research score and other details of the appointment procedure.
According to UGC guidelines, a candidate has to be a PhD and have eight years of teaching experience to qualify for the post of an associate professor.
After her appointment was proposed last year, allegations surfaced that V-C Ravindran’s four-year term was extended as a reward for facilitating Varghese’s appointment.His term ended November 2021 and was extended the same month.
Ravindran has insisted the UGC’s eligibility criteria were fulfilled.
At the time,Governor Khan expressed serious reservations over extending Ravindran’s tenure , and also said he was facing pressure from the state government to approve it.
In the same month as Varghese’s appointment was proposed, the activist group Save University Campaign Committee petitioned Governor Khan alleging that too many political appointments were being made bypassing deserving candidates.
The committee contended that Varghese lacks the requisite teaching experience and that her research score was the lowest among six shortlisted candidates for the post but topped the list after the interview.