New Delhi: Kannur University on Saturday submitted an affidavit in the Supreme Court backing Priya Varghese's appointment as associate professor. It said her appointment did not violate any UGC (University Grants Commission) norms.

The varsity Registrar stated in the affidavit that the criteria laid down by the UGC for the appointment of associate professors have been followed. The university had made this clear in its reply to the petitions filed by the UGC against the Kerala High Court judgement upholding the appointment of Priya Varghese. The Supreme Court will hear the case on Monday.

A division bench had quashed the High Court single bench judgement that Priya Varghese did not possess the required teaching experience to be appointed associate professor in the varsity. The court held that the period during which she did her research under the Faculty Development Programme of Kannur University, her tenure as the Director of University Students' Services on deputation and NSS Coordinator, her time working as a lecturer at the Teacher Education Centre of Kannur University on a contract basis, and the period after obtaining NET qualification, between June 5, 2002, to February 28, 2003, can be considered as teaching experience.