BENGALURU: The University of Mysore is planning to promote 32 faculty members to the post of associate professor even though a majority of them are said to lack the required qualifications. A complaint in this regard has been filed before the principal secretary of the state higher education department. This will be the second promotion for the 32 faculty members, and the complaint says that 19 of them don’t have the required qualifications to be promoted.
As per the complaint filed by the Karnataka State Universities and Colleges Backward Classes and Minority Teachers Association, the university is set to promote 32 faculty members who were appointed in 1992 as temporary faculty with a salary of Rs 5,000.
Documents available with The New Indian Express show that 19 of the 32 faculty members still do not have the qualifications required as per UGC regulations and state government norms. “To become a university teacher, one should have a post graduation degree with NET/SLET and PhD. But 19 of these 32 faculties, have no such qualifications,” said the complainants.
A copy of the complaint, available with TNIE, reads: “These 32 faculty members were appointed during 1992 on a temporary basis, and approached the court in 2003, requesting regularisation. The High Court of Karnataka directed the university to frame statues by laying conditions like existing vacancy, (and) qualifications of the candidates. Following the judgment, the 32 faculties approached the Governor to approve the statute in 2007.”
Explaining the situation, one of the members of the association, said, “The Governor asked the university to give due consideration to these candidates while recruiting and consider their experience after the necessary qualifications as per UGC guidelines were obtained. They were asked to get necessary qualifications within two years of the approval of the statutes. However, while giving promotions during 2017, the university had considered the service of these faculties before they pursued the necessary qualifications.”
The university has allegedly even given arrears to them in a retrospective manner since their appointment, when they were not even qualified for the same. “These faculties have got promotions during 2017 along with UGC scale, which is in violation. We demand the government to conduct an inquiry into it,” the association members said.
Now, the university is allegedly set to promote them under Career Advancement Scheme. During 2017, when they were given promotions by allegedly violating the norms, Prof Rajanna was the registrar, and he continues to hold that post. Prof Rajanna said, “If there is a complaint and the government asks for an explanation I will give it to the government.”