The University of Hyderabad Teachers' Association has demanded that the University appoint Prof K Suneetha Rani as the Head of Center for Women's Studies, following an order of the Telangana High Court passed last month, setting aside the appointment of the current head of the Center. Prof Rani approached the High Court, as the University appointed a junior faculty of the Center as its head. The university's counsel argued in the Court that the Center for Women's Studies is not part of the university and is just a center in the campus receiving financial assistance from the University Grants Commission.
However, the HC pointed out contradiction in the argument by referring to the due process and approval of the Academic Council and the Executive Council through which the Centre was formed and cited a previous counteraffidavit filed by the University in another case, wherein it argued the Centre for Women's Studies and other Centres were established in accordance with the statutes. The HC also noted that when a senior professor is available, it is not in a position to understand why a junior most Associate Professor whose probation is yet to be declared is appointed as a Head of the Department.The UHTA demanded that the University should not stretch the litigation further and taking this judgement as a precedent, the University must take the right step in resolvong a similar issue in the School of Medical Sciences.
