THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Appointments and promotions to the posts of principals and professors in government colleges often occur in violation of UGC norms due to pressure from left-leaning teachers' organizations. Director of College Education V. Vigneshwari was recently removed for insisting on strict adherence to UGC rules for recruitment and promotion, preventing the promotion of ineligible candidates. Minister R. Bindu publicly criticized the director. Following the new director's arrival, individuals without UGC qualifications were promoted as principals and professors.

In 2022, 35 government college teachers, deemed eligible under UGC rules by an expert committee, were promoted to the position of professor. A committee chaired by Vigneshwari disqualified several members of the pro-CPM teachers' union. According to the UGC Act, they can reapply only after a year. Nevertheless, a new expert committee was formed within five months, and those previously found ineligible were promoted as professors, resulting in the promotion of 90 individuals.

Instead of publishing research articles in UGC-recognized care journals, promotions were granted based on articles published in college magazines. Although 15 years of teaching experience is required to become a college principal, the government mandated that periods spent in non-teaching deputation posts should count as teaching experience, contradicting UGC rules. The High Court halted the appointment of 35 individuals upon realizing the rule violations in principal appointments, leaving government colleges without principals. Meanwhile, seven more individuals lacking sufficient qualifications were appointed yesterday, all belonging to the ruling party. The Save University Campaign Committee vowed to challenge all promotions and appointments made in government colleges that violate UGC provisions in court.