THRISSUR: In a major setback to Deepa Nishant, writer and Associate Professor at Sree Kerala Varma College (SKVC) who kicked up a controversy over plagiarism, the University Grants Commission (UGC) issued a notice to the principal on the matter.
The notice sought a report from the college authorities over the exact details about the incident and the college’s stand on the issue. The entire plagiarism row popped up when a poem titled ‘Angineyirikke marichu poyi njan’ actually written by S Kalesh appeared in a magazine published by the All Kerala Private Teachers Association with credits to Deepa and titled as ‘Anginiyirikke’. Kalesh came out against it on November 29 through a Facebook post saying it was his poem written in 2011 and published in the book ‘Shabdamahasamudram’ in 2015.
In her response, apologising for the entire issue, Deepa said it was actually passed to her by activist M J Sreechithran claiming it as his writing.
In the wake of the notice issued by the UGC, the college authorities would be in pressure to make their stand clear on the issue. As the college is under the Cochin Devaswom Board, upon complaints by the staff in the college, it had sought a report from the principal, but no further action was taken on it.
“I received the notice today only. Since the college is closed for vacation, it will take time to seek an explanation from the teacher. The same will be communicated and discussed with the Devaswom Board. There is no time limit mentioned in the notice, but we will respond after discussing it with the authorities concerned, said Eswari V, the principal, who took charge last month.