Calicut University violates UGC rules in order to give Professor status to Minister Bindu; Save University Campaign Committee submits complaint to Governor

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In order to give Minister R Bindu the status of Professor with retrospective effect, Calicut University has violated the UGC rules to grant the post of professor to retired college teachers. According to Section 6.3 of the UGC Regulation 2018, only those in service should be considered for the post of Professor. The selection committee constituted under the UGC Act should conduct interviews and make recommendations. UGC granted the post of professor to college teachers in 2018. However, the order was issued in the state last February. As per the order, only qualified teachers who remain in the service can be considered for the post of professor with retrospective effect.

Minister Bindu, who was an English teacher at Kerala Varma College under Calicut University, had retired from service last March to contest the Assembly elections. It is alleged that Calicut University violated the UGC rules in order to give the minister the status of a professor with retrospective effect. Nearly 100 retired teachers will get the status of professors through this. Each one will have to be paid a salary arrear of up to Rs 5 lakh. This will create an additional liability of Rs 5 crore for the government. The Save University Campaign Committee has submitted a petition to the Governor urging him to prevent the move to give the status of Professor to the minister and cancel the order. UDF's Thomas Unniyadan had filed a case in the High Court alleging that Bindu had canvassed votes in the assembly elections by misrepresenting herself as a professor. Sources said that the university was trying to save the minister in this case through the new move.