BENGALURU: The state higher education minister GT Devegowda has issued a recommendation letter to post a teaching staff as the registrar of a government polytechnic college in Mandya district, which is meant for non-teaching cadre. The faculty member is currently working as Personal Assistant (PA) for the minister of Minor Irrigation.
Officials of the technical education department have raised an objection over this. One of them told The New Indian Express, “As per Karnataka Education Department recruitment rules 2006, posts of registrars at the government polytechnic colleges must be filled only through promotions. And to get promoted as registrar, one should have worked as supervisor at the department for three years.”
“If the norms are violated in this particular case, we will be forced to approach the court.”
The copy of the recommendation letter written by GT Devegowda along with which he also sent a note to the principal secretary of higher education department to consider the same is available with The New Indian Express. It reads: “As the post of teacher is equal to registrar, the cadre can be changed in this case and measures to be taken to transfer HK Ravi who is currently working as PA to Minor irrigation minister as registrar of Government Polytechnic College, Arakere in Srirangapatna taluk.”
As per the information available with TNIE, posts of over 70 registrars are vacant at the state government colleges coming under the technical education department. And there are several non-teaching staffers waiting since several years for the promotions to get posted as registrars.
Higher Education Minister GT Devegowda was unavailable for comments.