KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Saturday quashed a government order not to consider M.Sc Biotechnology graduates for the recruitment of Assistant Professor in Zoology and Botany in Universities and Colleges. Justice Devan Ramachandran directed that a decision should be taken in this matter within a month after considering the recommendations given by the state-level academic committee.

The High Court considered the petition filed by MS Sinto, a native of Thrissur, against the March 3, 2020, order that MSc biotechnology graduates should not be considered for the appointment of assistant professors in both subjects. The petitioners pointed out that on February 20, 2020, the government had issued an order that candidates who have passed M.Sc Biotechnology can be considered for the appointment of assistant professors in zoology and botany. The petitioners also alleged that a new order was later issued suspending the implementation of the order. The government explained that there were protests against the order that biotechnology graduates could be considered for the appointment of assistant professors and that the academic councils of many universities did not consider MSc biotechnology as equivalent to MSc botany.

However, the petitioners explained that in the 2018 UGC regulation and eligibility for UGC NET, the subjects of zoology, botany and biotechnology were considered together as life science. They also pointed out that the state-level academic committee comprising university VCs had recommended that MSc biotechnology graduates be considered for the post of assistant professor. The High Court delivered the judgement based on these arguments.