Thiruvananthapuram: In the wake of the controversy over appointing personal staff of Ministers as government nominees, the State government has barred the practice in the Higher Education Department.

A latest order issued by the department stated that personal staff members of Ministers should not be appointed as government nominees and directed that those currently serving in such positions be replaced. The clarification came in an order extending the tenure of government nominees in private aided colleges by another six months.

The move comes close on the heels of the Private Secretary and Additional Private Secretary to General Education Minister N. Shamsudheen stepping down from the interview panel for aided school appointments after their inclusion sparked a political controversy. A member of the Tourism Minister's personal staff also stepped down from the panel on Sunday. Fresh orders appointing their replacements are expected shortly. However, it remains unclear whether similar changes will be made in the case of personal staff attached to other Ministers as well.

The development comes even as it is pointed out that officers on deputation serving in Ministers' personal staff had also been appointed to government panels during the tenure of the previous LDF government.

Meanwhile, former General Education Minister V Sivankutty alleged that appointing members of Ministers' personal staff as government representatives on interview panels was intended to facilitate corruption.