Members of the Karnataka State Folklore University PG and Researchers Federation has said that there have been large-scale irregularities in the recruitment of teachers and staff in the folklore university.
In a letter to the State government, they have demanded a CID investigation of their charge. They have threatened to launch an agitation if the investigation is not ordered.
Speaking to journalists in Dharwad on Saturday, federation president Shivasomappa Nittur said that that the university officials have violated recruitment norms and made several appointments. He said that politicians have influenced most appointments.
He demanded that the appointments be cancelled and a fresh recruitment drive for teachers and non-teaching staff be announced. Justice can be done only by a CID probe that will identify the offenders, he said.
Mr. Nittur said that officials issued a notification for appointments in 2018. But the interviews were not conducted for five years.
This was against UGC norms that stipulate that the interview process should start within six months of the notification. If that does not happen, the recruiting institution should release a fresh notification. But this was not done, he said.
Though the Department of Higher Education cancelled the notification in 2022, the university officials got it approved by providing wrong information to the government. The interviews were held in April this year. Even this was in violation of norms as the interviews were done during the model code of conduct for the Assembly elections, he said.
Mr. Nittur said that the Department of Higher Education issued a notice to the university as it noted that the question paper bundle did not have a seal and OMR sheets did not have any barcodes. The government had asked for the cancellation of the recruitment process in three days and also, a report.
However, this was not complied with. The university issued appointment orders to candidates, Mr. Nittur said.
