Thiruvananthapuram: A Right to Information reply has revealed Kerala Higher Education Minister R Bindu intervened in the appointment of principals in Government Arts and Science colleges in violation of University Grants Commission (UGC) norms.
The minister reportedly directed officials to treat the final selection list of 43 candidates for the posts of principals in Government Arts and Science colleges as a 'draft' list in violation of the UGC norms, stated the RTI reply.
The list was approved by the Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC).
The minister 'interfered', a source said, in a bid to appoint an appeal committee to facilitate the inclusion of those who did not find their names in the PSC-approved list.
On March 2, 2022, the government had issued an order appointing a selection committee to prepare the list of candidates for the Principal posts. Though 110 candidates had applied, the committee selected only 43 who met the UGC qualification criteria. A departmental promotion committee, chaired by a PSC member, gave the nod for the same and subsequently the college education director submitted the same for the government's approval. It was then the minister interfered, the source said.
The minister directed the officials to produce the entire file regarding the selection process, the source added: In November 2022, she noted in the e-file to treat the existing list as a ‘draft’ and set up an appeal committee.
There is no provision under the UGC norms to treat a list prepared by a selection committee as a draft. However, following the minister’s interference, the college education director published the final selection list as a ‘draft list’ on January 11 last.
The government agreed to appoint the sixth-ranked candidate from the list following a tribunal verdict, though none of the others got any posting order.
A petition moved by seven candidates out of the list, demanding appointments to the posts, and that by four teachers against the formation of a selection committee to consider those disqualified in the initial selection process, are currently before the Kerala Administrative Tribunal.
In its interim verdict on July 24, the Tribunal directed the government to make the appointments only from the list of 43 candidates and consider all those who are qualified for the vacancies left.
Meanwhile, the appointment of principals to Government Arts and Science colleges - posts that remain vacant for years altogether - is further delayed with the issue now in a judicial tangle.
