The Syndicate of the University of Calicut is expected to act on a Supreme Court order that rejected its appeal against a Kerala High Court order which found fault with the implementation of reservation norms in the appointment of assistant professors in its teaching departments.
The university filed the appeal in the apex court after the High Court pointed out that the reservation norms enforced for differently abled persons in the recruitment process was wrong. The High Court order issued in February said that horizontal reservation should be implemented for people with disabilities. It pointed out that the university not doing this had led to eligible candidates from backward classes being deprived of their opportunities.
The High Court order was based on a petition filed by K.P. Anupama, a native of Malappuram district and one of the applicants for the post, in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication. Ms. Anupama had pointed out that though she had got second rank in the selection process and there were two vacancies in the department, she was denied an appointment due to the faulty implementation of the reservation roster. Citing the verdict in the Indira Sawhney case, the apex court upheld the High Court order and said that the university’s system of awarding of roster points for reservation was wrong.
However, though the apex court issued its directive to appoint Ms. Anupama as assistant professor on May 19, the university was accused of not implementing it so far. Some deliberations were reported to have been taken place at the official level as the order could have an impact on similar petitions filed by other candidates in the High Court. It is also said that the delay could be due to the fact that tenure of the Syndicate, which is the authority on appointments, had expired. The State government nominated six new members to the body on June 5. The new Syndicate, with nominated and ex-officio members, is expected to meet in the coming days to take a call on the issue.
