THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Fissures have developed in the pro-CPM Kerala University Teachers Association (KUTA) over the issue of headship rotation in the university departments.
The differences came to the fore during the annual general body meeting of the KUTA held here on May 5.
One faction wanted expulsion from the KUTA of those who approached the court challenging the rotation of headship. The reason pointed out was that headship rotation was the demand of the association. However, those who opposed the argument said though there was a decision to replace heads who had completed three years, directors of various centres of the university who completed over three years have not been replaced.
Some KUTA leaders are continuing in the posts of prestigious centres for many years. They pointed out that the present Editor of the Malayalam lexicon was continuing in the post for more than ten years.
The director of Centre for Kerala Studies, which had budgetary provisions, was also continuing in the post for four years.
They also pointed out that some members of the KUTA had earlier approached the court against bringing the posts of director of IMK and head of Optoelectronics department under reserved category.
They had put forward the argument that both the posts were single posts and it was not fair to slot these posts under the reserved category.
This argument was also against the policy of KUTA, which was in favour of the reservation policies of the University. There was also an argument that most officebearers of the KUTA had been continuing in their posts for many years. They should also be replaced if the policy of rotation was introduced.
However, this plea was not allowed at the meeting.
Sources said that the party faction held the previous day had already decided on the new office-bearers.
University Syndicate Member T. Rajmohan of Biochemistry Department, who replied to queries regarding rotation of office-bearers, pointed out that rotation could not be allowed for KUTA office-bearers, as only those with `party loyalty’ could be considered.