Kerala HC stays appointment of ex-ABVP leader to CUK after plea alleges malpractice

Dr Nagalingam, who was the ex-ABVP Tamil Nadu president, was to be appointed as an associate professor of the Social Work Department when his colleagues alleged he was unqualified.
The Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court
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The Kerala High Court, on August 8, stayed the appointment of a former Tamil Nadu president of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) as an associate professor at the Central University of Kerala. ABVP is the student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. The man, Dr Nagalingam was to be appointed as an associate professor in the Social Work department, however, Dr Lakshmi — also an assistant professor with the department — moved the High Court against this.

While staying Dr Nagalingam’s appointment, the High Court bench of Justice Devan Ramachandran observed, “I make it clear that the appointment of the third respondent (Dr Nagalingam) will be subject to further orders from this Court.” The matter has been posted for further hearing on August 19.

Dr Nagalingam’s appointment caused an uproar within the department, as he allegedly was not qualified for the post. The petitioner alleged that his appointment was politically influenced, and that he allegedly did not have the qualifications required by the University Grants Commission (UGC). According to the UGC regulation of 2018, in order for a person to be appointed as an associate professor, they should have eight years of experience (equivalent to assistant professor) and seven publications in journals or peer reviewed journals which are listed by the UGC. The petition alleged that Dr Nagalingam had only five years of experience as an assistant professor in the Department of Social Work at Amarkantak Tribal University in Madhya Pradesh. He also reportedly worked at Amrita University in Coimbatore later, but this was not under the UGC pay scale.

Sources who spoke to TNM said that three candidates were shortlisted for the post of associate professor in the Department of Social Work of CUK. However, more qualified candidates than Nagalingam were allegedly set aside, and not even kept on the waiting list. “But a person who hails from Andhra Pradesh has been selected for one of the posts, and he has not yet even submitted his original PhD certificate,” they alleged.

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