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Kerala minister denies interference in college principals’ selection
Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan alleged that the minister illegally interfered in the process because the final list of 43 did not have names of those close to the CPI(M)
Kerala minister for higher education R Bindu on Friday denied allegations that she interfered in the appointment of principals of government arts and science colleges in violation of UGC rules even as opposition Congress and BJP leaders demanded her resignation.
After a 43-member list of candidates was approved by the departmental promotion committee and recommended by the college education director, minister Bindu wrote a note in the file in November last year asking officials to publish the final list as a draft list and if there are complaints regarding the same, an appeal committee should hear and resolve them before submission for appointment, showed a Right to Information (RTI) reply.
Addressing reporters in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday, Bindu clarified, “As per UGC rules, we have been following norms by which principals of government colleges are appointed on the basis of seniority from the list of qualified teachers. To fill 55 vacancies in our government colleges, the selection committee in the first phase prepared a list of 67 teachers and subsequently a sub-committee shortened the list to 43 persons. Regarding this list, many complaints arose from those whose names were left out. They claimed that they were denied justice. In that backdrop, I directed that without setting aside the list of 43 persons, the complaints of those left out should be examined by a committee seriously before taking further action. It is completely fair.”
“Even though there were 55 openings for posts of principals and the first list contained 67 names, it was shortened to 43 names on the basis of certain technical problems. I took that stand because the government believed if there are valid complaints, they must be addressed...justice should not be denied,” she added.
The minister said that several cases regarding appointment in government colleges are pending before the administrative tribunal. “After considering the verdicts in some of them, upon reaching legal advice, the final list will be approved. The first list has also not been finalised and I have not even seen the purported finalised list. It has not come before the government,” she said.
Bindu underlined that the government has no intention of pushing certain names into the final list.
However, Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan alleged that the minister illegally interfered in the process because the final list of 43 did not have names of those close to the CPI(M).
“The higher education department legally prepared a list of 43 principals. It was approved by the PSC. That list did not have names of their own on merit. That’s why the minister purposely interfered in it. She does not have the right to sit in the post. She should resign,” said Satheesan.
BJP state chief K Surendran charged that the minister has turned the higher education department into AKG Centre, the headquarters of CPI(M) in Kerala.
“When party cadre could not find a place in the list on merit, the minister tried to push names of those ineligible. She does not deserve to sit in her chair,” Surendran said in a statement.
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