KASARAGOD
The promotion of some faculty members in the Central University of Kerala (CUK) through the Career Advancement Scheme (CAS) in 2017 has come under the scanner after the Director General of Audit (Central) observed that the promotions were not proper.
The university had promoted seven faculty members of various departments to the posts of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor through direct recruitment and CAS, said Lakshmanan Kaiprathu, a Right to Information (RTI) activist. Despite pointing out the irregularities, no action had been taken by the University, he alleged.
Citing in particular the case of a faculty member in the International Relations and Politics Department, he said that within two years of his appointment as Associate Professor in the university, he was promoted as Professor by including him in the Career Advancement Scheme.
The executive committee, which met in 2017, recommended his promotion as Professor retrospectively from the day of his appointment as Associate Professor. He was appointed in November 2015.
Apparently, the DGA (Central) found no records in his service books, personal files, appointment-related files to indicate any situation that warranted grant of promotions retrospectively. And hence, the promotion was not proper, he said.
Mr. Kaiprathu said that UGC regulations prescribed the conditions for counting of past service for direct recruitment and promotion under CAS. For this, the teachers in private aided colleges in Kerala can apply for an appointment for the post in the CUK only through the Principal.
But the records obtained from the university found that seven faculty members, who were promoted to the posts of Assistant, Associate and Professor, did not apply for the appointment through proper channel. Hence, even their appointments were questionable, he said.
Meanwhile, N. Santhosh Kumar, Registrar, said that the university had already sought a clarification from the Higher Education Department and necessary action would be taken based on it.
