Kannur: Everything goes wrong for Kannur University and the Left Front which controls it.
CM’s private secretary K K Ragesh’s wife Priya Varghese's first rank allocation in the list for Associate Professor’s appointment is just one among the botches.
The lapses and flaws started with the reorganisation of the Board of Studies in 2021 September. The opposition teachers’ organisation KPCTA filed a petition with the High Court pointing out that 68 members of the different boards of studies are not eligible and that the reorganisation had taken place without the approval of the Governor. The High Court ruled that the Governor’s approval was needed.
The list of members was submitted to the Governor twice without changing the members. Though the Governor took a stand to remove those who are ‘not eligible’ from the list, the list has not been revised so far. In effect, there have been no boards of study for about a year now.
Another allegation was that the thoughts and statements of RSS leaders were included a lot in the syllabus of the MA Governance and Politics programme at Thalassery Brennan College. That controversy settled after the syllabus was revised without completely removing the ‘RSS thoughts’. Soon thereafter came the move to appoint Priya Varghese which triggered another controversy.
Amid these, the question paper repetition also left the Varsity shaken. The Controller of Examination was replaced as the questions from the previous year’s examinations were repeated as such.
The High Court, while dismissing the University’s approval for a Self Financing College at Kasaragod Padanna, had mentioned that the VC has crossed his limits in terms of authority.
VC in a ‘neither here nor there’ position
The KPCTA leaders Dr Shino P Jose and Dr Premachandran Keezhoth have moved the Supreme Court alleging that Professor Gopinath Raveendran was reappointed as the Vice Chancellor without a search committee and violating the 60 years age bar.
The SC had earlier ruled, on the Kerala Technological University VC case, that the VC appointment without a Search Committee is not valid. Though two teachers had filed a plea with the High Court, it was dismissed with an observation that it is a reappointment.
Priya Varghese's appointment controversy - a timeline
2021 September 22: Kannur University invites applications to the position of Associate Professor with the Kannur University Department of Malayalam. The last date to submit applications was November 12, 2021.
November 13: The screening committee shortlists 6 candidates including Priya Varghese for the interview.
November 14: Dr R K Biju, a UDF member of the Senate, submits a complaint to the VC arguing that Priya’s research period cannot be considered as teaching experience.
November 18: Selection Committee chaired by VC Prof Gopinath Raveendran conducts online interviews for all six candidates. Controversy triggers as Priya Varghese reached first in the rank list. The University seeks legal advice from those including the Advocate General. Responds that there has been no violation of norms.
November 23: Prof Gopinath Raveendran gets reappointed as the Vice Chancellor of Kannur University. Allegations arise that the VC’s reappointment, without a Search Committee and violating the age limit criteria, was a ‘compensation’ for Priya’s first rank in the list. The appointment gets delayed. Though the VC wrote to the UGC Chairman for more clarity regarding the eligibility criteria, there was no response from the UGC Chairman.
2022 June 27: University Syndicate approves the rank list in which Priya has the first rank. Scrutiny of Priya’s thesis and certificates begins.
August 14: VC states that Priya meets the eligibility criteria and that she would be appointed soon.
August 17: The Governor freezes the appointment move.
August 22: The High Court stays the appointment proceedings on a plea from the second rank holder in the list – Prof Joseph Scaria, a professor with Changanassry SB College.
November 17: The High Court rules that the decision allotting the first rank to Priya Varghese must be reviewed.
