Amid allegations of rampant backdoor appointment of partymen to government posts ahead of assembly polls, the induction of CPM leader and former Palakkad MP MB Rajesh’s wife as assistant professor at the Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady, has triggered a row.While, Umer Tharamel, who was part of the interview board as subject expert, alleged the ranklist has been reversed, Vice-Chancellor P K Dharmarajan dismissed it as baseless.
Save University Campaign Committee chairman R S Sasikumar and secretary M Shajir Khan have submitted a complaint to Governor Arif Mohammed Khan seeking an inquiry into the appointment.
In the interview held on January 21 to the post of assistant professor (Malayalam), which is reserved for the Muslim community, Ninitha R came first, while Haseena K P A and Hikmathulla V secured the second and third ranks, respectively.
The complaint said candidates with better qualification, who have many research papers to their credit, were ignored to accommodate Ninitha, who is also daughter of Kerala School Teachers’ Association former general secretary Rasheed Kanicheri. It is said Ninitha had secured 212th rank in the PSC ranklist which was released based on a written test and interview.
“I have stopped attending interviews as the subject expert. As per UGC and university norms, appointments should be made based on the mark given by subject experts. I never thought the ranklist would be turned upside down (from what the expert panel prepared). It is the first such incident in a university in the state.,” Umer wrote in a Facebook post.
He told TNIE that he was not concerned about candidates’ political affiliations. “We considered their experience and research background. I can assure that this (the published one) is not a ranklist based on the marks we gave,” he said. Dr T Pavithran and Dr K M Bharathan were the other members of the panel. Vice-Chancellor Dharmarajan said the allegations were unwarranted, baseless and set an unhealthy precedent.
“The ranklist was prepared based on the marks awarded by the panel in their own handwriting and no tampering has happened. I am surprised by the allegation and do not see any reason for raising such a controversy,” he said. M B Rajesh said the person who raised the allegation has vested interests.
“Ninitha joined the university a week late and nobody had raised any objection when the ranklist was published. People who have objection can approach the court. It is for the university to clarify on the allegation of nepotism. I have not interfered in the selection process,” he told TNIE.Earlier attempts to appoint A N Shamseer’s wife Shahana as an assistant professor in the Calicut University had triggered a controversy.
