THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A section of Syndicate members of Kerala University has defended the varsity body’s decision to recommend promotion of assistant professor S Naseeb, also a pro-Left Syndicate member, to the post of associate professor.
The decision was annulled by Governor Rajendra Arlekar in his capacity as Chancellor on Monday on the grounds that it was against UGC regulations. In a joint statement, 14 Syndicate members, most of them Left-affiliated, said the university has implemented the UGC regulation that valid contract service can also be considered for promotion.
They said it was on directives of the Kerala High Court that Naseeb was permitted to apply for promotion. Besides, the Syndicate had also sought legal opinion on the matter before taking a decision.
“The Syndicate had only decided to inform the High Court that Naseeb’s application for promotion can be considered based on earlier court orders on the matter and also on the basis of the report of the academic committee,” the Syndicate members said. However, the Vice-Chancellor unilaterally referred the matter to the Chancellor (governor), they alleged.
In his order, the governor said it was found that Naseeb had included his tenure of more than a year as lecturer on temporary basis to his overall service period while applying for promotion.
However, he was drawing remuneration lesser than a regularly appointed faculty at that time. According to the governor, this constituted a violation of UGC regulations.
The governor reminded the Syndicate that it is bound to follow the norms fixed by the UGC and no power is vested with it to exempt or exclude such norms. Arlekar said he was annulling the Syndicate’s decision by invoking the powers vested in him under Section 7(3) of the Kerala University Act.