KOCHI: A controversy is brewing over the appointment of two members in the new MG University Syndicate with questions of impropriety being raised in them holding the positions. They are Left employees union leader and section officer in the university K Sharafudeen and Thalayolaparambu DB College principal B Padmanabha Pillai. This is the first time that an employee of the varsity is being appointed to the Syndicate.
"This is for the first time such a practise is happening. The Registrar is the secretary of Syndicate and will be writing minutes of the Syndicate meeting in which section officer is participating with authority whereas the Registrar does not have any power to register his opinion in the meeting. This is really bizarre and violates protocol," said Mr R.S. Sasikumar, Syndicate member of Cochin University of Science and Technology who was a former Controller of Examinations, Kerala University.
"Sharafudeen can resign from the post of section officer and then remain as Syndicate member. There have been instances where former employees of universities have become Syndicate members. It is very strange to see a section officer who prepares the note for the Syndicate taking decision on it. This culture will demoralise the entire workforce," said Mr Sasikumar.
The appointment of Padmanabha Pillai under principal quota too has become controversial with a member in the disbanded Syndicate saying that he is ineligible to hold the post of principal as per UGC norms. "The university Syndicate had not given approval for the principal post of Mr Pillai, which was under its consideration for the past four months, as he did not meet the UGC norms. On June 23 the Vice-Chancellor Dr Babu Sebastian using his emergency powers under Section 10 (17) of MGU Act, ratified his posting. This is a clear case of misuse of power," said Dr Somasekharan Unni, former Syndicate member.
