Cloud over Mahatma Gandhi University appointments

KOCHI: The MG University’s decision to allow by-transfer appointment of last grade staff to the cadre of assistants snowballing into a controversy. The decision was taken after its non-teaching staff appointments were entrusted to the Kerala Public Service Commission.  After the varsity made the move in this regard, PSC rank-holders association complained to Governor P. Sathasivam who is also the Chancellor of the university. The Governor sought an explanation from the varsity. 

Five persons were appointed in by-transfer route the other day when the Governor is sitting in judgement over the issue. It is learnt that the varsity Syndicate will consider more such appointments at its sitting on Friday. An MGU official said there are three levels of assistants, senior grade assistants and assistant section officers in assistant cadre at the varsity.  The total strength of assistants is 238, while that of senior grade assistants and assistant officers is 237 posts each.

Four per cent of the entry wing of assistants is nine posts, of which the five posts were recently filled through the by-transfer route while the rest were filled before the appointments were transferred to the PSC on February 26, 2016. Even as PSC rank-holders petitioned the Governor over appointments after February 26, the varsity is moving to fill around 20 vacancies of senior grade assistants and assistant section officers put together. 

PSC had also clarified that such appointments should not be done. In a similar instance, Kerala High Court decision is pending on such appointments to such posts after February 26 in the Kerala Agricultural University even though the Statute of the university permits by-transfer appointments while that of MGU has no such provision, sources said.