THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The CPM-dominated Syndicate of the University of Calicut has come under the scanner for its move to promote retired affiliated college teachers as ‘Professors’, in violation of UGC guidelines. The Save University Campaign Committee (SUCC), a whistleblower’s collective, has approached Governor (Chancellor) Arif Mohammed Khan with a complaint that the move is aimed at facilitating promotion of Higher Education Minister R Bindu as Professor, after her voluntary retirement last year.
Bindu is facing an election petition in the High Court filed by her rival candidate that she canvassed votes by misrepresenting herself as ‘Professor’. After she was sworn in as minister, the government had issued a gazette notification correcting her prefix from ‘Professor’ to ‘Dr’.
The SUCC said the UGC regulations, 2018, say that the applicant for ‘Professor’ post under the Career Advancement Scheme must be on the role and active service on the date of consideration by selection committee. Curiously, the syndicate added a clause that “retired and relieved teachers of affiliated colleges” are also eligible for promotion under the scheme. Bindu took voluntary retirement from a college affiliated to the university, before the Assembly election in April 2021.
“This (Syndicate) resolution would give placement to all teachers, including Bindu, who retired. This is to help her counter the writ petition pending before the High Court,” the SUCC said. It said the University of Kerala had denied promotion to retired teachers. It urged the Chancellor to nullify the steps taken by Calicut University to promote Bindu. The minister could not be reached for comments.
Sources said the inclusion of retired teachers in the scheme does not mean promotion for Bindu and other retired teachers whose Professor placement is due on or after July 18, 2018. “Bindu will be considered only if she submits the proposal to the selection committee for CAS placement as directed by the university,” said a source.