THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: IN clear violation of the Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS) Act, the government has permitted the varsity to regularise six non-teaching staff who are on deputation from the Secretariat. The move comes even after the state Public Service Commission (PSC) objected to such an arrangement. According to KUHS Act, the appointment to all non-teaching staff posts in the varsity are to be carried out by the PSC.
The six employees, in the office attendant grade, were sent on deputation from the Secretariat three years ago. They were deployed in KUHS on the grounds that special rules were not framed for recruiting employees to that post through the PSC. While five employees belong to the General Administration Department, one employee was deputed from the Finance Department.
The government issued an order recently permitting the university to regularise the employees. Earlier, the Registrar of KUHS had recommended to the government that the services of these six employees on deputation be regularised. ‘Shortage of staff’ and ‘exemplary work’ of the employees were cited as reasons for such an arrangement.
“The KUHS Act does not have the provision to regularise employees on deputation. They can only be directly recruited by the PSC. In the case of the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University, such an arrangement is possible as the university Act allows it,”said K S Gireesakumar, general secretary of the Federation of All-Kerala University Employees Organisations. He alleged the PSC’s objections were thrown to the wind by the university. KUHS Vice-Chancellor Dr M K C Nair told ‘Express’ that he had seen the government order. Asked whether it was a violation of the University Act, Nair said the varsity was yet to take a final decision on it.