Shivamogga
A mistake in calculation of marks by the staff of Keladi Shivappa Nayaka University of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences (UAHS) in Shivamogga district during recruitment of assistant professors proved costly for a well-qualified candidate. Dr. Shruthi did not get the job as her score in the post-graduation course was miscalculated.
Ms. Shruthi, who completed her studies at UAS Bengaluru, had applied for the post of assistant professor in the Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry in response to a recruitment notification issued by the university on January 24, 2019. She was one of the five candidates selected to be interviewed for a post reserved for women of Scheduled Caste. Of the five candidates, only two, including Ms. Shruthi, appeared for the interview on November 19, 2022. Ms. Shruthi was not selected for the post.
Later in March 2023, she filed an application under the Right to Information Act, seeking the final recommendation of the selection committee. The document revealed that she was not selected because of wrong calculation of marks secured in the M.Sc. course.
During the selection process, the university considers the candidate’s score in B.Sc. (maximum 10), and M.Sc. (maximum 20), besides the additional qualifications of experience in teaching, special achievement, publications, and interview marks.
The marks against the score secured for the degree and post-graduation are worked out on a pro-rata basis. If a candidate has secured 70% (equivalent to a CGPA of 7) in MSc, he will get zero in the selection process. Those who secured 100% (equivalent to a CGPA of 10) will get the maximum of 20 marks.
Ms. Shruthi secured a CGPA of 9.16 (equivalent to 91.6%) in MSc.
Going by the above-mentioned formula, she should have got 14.40 in her final score sheet of the selection process. However, she was given 7.9 marks.
“Considering my actual score, I would have been in the first position, with a total of 55.65 marks among the candidates, and would have got the post,” she told The Hindu.
The candidate who was selected had secured 50.016 marks.
Ms. Shruthi brought this to the attention of G.K. Girijesh, then Administrative Officer of the university, through a letter on March 21, 2023. She got a reply stating that the issue would be discussed in the board of management meeting of the university on April 5.
G.K. Girijesh told The Hindu, “The mistake was committed by the staff member entrusted with scrutiny of records. We, too, did not notice it then. However, after it was brought to my attention, I informed the vice-chancellor,” he said.
There has been no further communication from the university to Ms. Shruthi on rectifying the mistake.
