Higher Education Minister R. Bindu has waded into controversy after a reply received under the Right to Information Act ‘exposed’ her involvement in stalling the appointments to 60-odd Principal posts lying vacant in arts and science colleges.
While various quarters accused her of facilitating the appointment of ineligible teachers for the posts, Dr. Bindu refuted allegations of undue intervention and claimed to have no vested interest in the appointment process.
An RTI reply obtained by S. Babu, a former faculty of University College, Thiruvananthapuram, contained details of internal file movement within the Higher Education department that purportedly recorded Dr. Bindu’s instruction to treat the selection compiled by the Departmental Promotion Committee as a ‘draft list’. She issued directions to constitute an appeal committee to consider grievances that could arise in the process.
The Departmental Promotion Committee had shortlisted 43 out of the 110 candidates who applied for the position.
Minister’s version
Speaking to mediapersons in Thrissur, Dr. Bindu said a selection committee had initially shortlisted 67 candidates, but later trimmed the list to 43 after weeding out those whose research publications could not be considered after the University Grants Commission (UGC) published the Consortium for Academic Research and Ethics (CARE) list of approved journals in 2019. Those who were excluded from the list later raised complaints, prompting the government’s intervention to ensure justice for all.
Indicating the selection process could drag on, Dr. Bindu said the government could adopt further steps only after receiving legal opinion regarding the ongoing cases at the Kerala Administrative Tribunal. The government will protect seniority in accordance with court rulings while making the appointments, she added.
Opposition’s charge
Accusing the Minister of abusing her position, Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan demanded her resignation. The RTI reply has validated the allegations of undue interference levelled by the Opposition two months ago. The Minister has ruined the higher education sector by leaving the reins of several colleges to temporary principals. Similar is the situation in universities with nine of these lacking full-time Vice-Chancellors.
Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president K. Sudhakaran accused Dr. Bindu of acting according to the whims and fancies of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] and its feeder organisations. The government is guilty of leading the higher education sector on the path of destruction, he added.
Bharatiya Janata Party state president K. Surendran also accused the Minister of scuttling the merit-based appointment process to facilitate the appointment of CPI(M) cadres in various positions through illegal means.
