HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court has set aside the appointment of Prof V Venkata Ramana as director of the National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management (NITHM), Hyderabad, holding that the state government failed to follow the institution’s governing rules.
Justice Renuka Yara, while disposing of a writ petition filed by the Centre for Better Governance on July 20, quashed the GO issued in July 2025 by the State Youth Advancement, Tourism and Culture department appointing Prof Ramana as NITHM director.
The court held that the appointment violated NITHM’s Memorandum of Association and Rules and Regulations, which vest the Governing Council with exclusive authority to determine the qualifications, experience and terms of appointment of the director.
The judgment noted that the Government Order did not show that the Governing Council had initiated, recommended or approved the appointment before the government acted. Instead, the state government unilaterally selected the candidate and directed the University of Hyderabad, Prof. Ramana’s parent institution, to grant him extraordinary leave to assume the post.
The court further held that a subsequent Governing Council resolution “ratifying” the appointment could not cure the defect, as the governing rules did not permit post-facto ratification of an appointment that should have originated with the Council. The Centre for Better Governance also challenged Prof. Ramana’s eligibility, contending that although he holds an MBA and a PhD in Management, he lacked the tourism or hospitality qualifications and experience prescribed for the post.
It further alleged favouritism, referring to an earlier Comptroller and Auditor General report highlighting irregularities in previous appointments and citing Prof. Ramana’s removal as In-Charge Vice-Chancellor of IIIT Basar during student unrest.
