The Sub-Committee constituted by the Kerala University Syndicate to look into serious allegations raised by students against Law Academy Principal Lekshmi Nair has deemed her guilty on several counts.
The Committee submitted its report to the Syndicate on Saturday after three sittings, during which 90 students, ten parents and representatives of five student unions were called in for hearing. All related documents too were verified in this regard.
In its report, the Committee observed that the positioning of two cameras in the corridors leading to the bathroom in the Girls’ Hostel did trespass into the privacy of its inmates.
While it found allegations of sick students being thrown out of the hostel or threatened with eviction true, the Committee could not however substantiate with authentic evidence the charge of students being summoned at night by the Principal.
All those who deposed before the Committee were however united in their opinion that “the attitude, body language and words used by Dr. Lekshmi Nair are not befitting to a Principal.”
A few students even went on to tell the Committee that she used to discriminate between students “by specifying in a vulgar tone their caste, creed, colour, religion and appearance.”
The Committee said it stood convinced that the arrogant approach adopted by the Principal towards the students and their parents “have hurt their hearts deeply,” as was substantiated by the audio clippings that were handed over to the Committee as proof.
It was also found that there are clear-cut violations of the regulations in place with regard to award of internal marks in both the five-year and the three-year degree LLB Courses/Examination.
To quote from the report:
- “The monthly attendance statement of the students are not prepared and exhibited on the College notice board.
- After conducting class test papers, the marks obtained by the students are not communicated to them, nor the valued answer sheets returned promptly.
- On submission of assignments given, the marks awarded are not revealed to the students.
- As part of the University curriculum, students are supposed to present papers in seminars.
- It is quite ironical that it is insisted that students sign the score-sheet first, and the marks are entered only later.
- The split-up of marks awarded for the various components of the internal marks are neither recorded nor published.
- On verification of the available records regarding attendance, the Committee is convinced that there is an unholy interference of the College Principal in it.
- In awarding internal marks, the Committee is fully convinced that the power is solely centered on the Principal who according to her whims and fancies awards marks freely to those whom she favours.”
The Committee also found it unfortunate that the students were unaware about the University regulations, their rights and privileges with regard to the grievance redressal mechanism.
The Committee believed it was this that led to the present unrest, coupled with the undue freedom and powers exercised by the Principal’s son’s fiancée Anuradha Nair, which both the students and parents found intolerable and exceeding all limits.
It also pointed out that the office of the College Principal failed to provide a majority of the documents the Committee had asked for. The report also cites a couple of specific instances of undue harassment of students.
The sub-committee was unanimous in its conclusion that the Law Academy with fifty years of glorious legacy has been brought to a pathetic state “solely because of the maladministration from the part of the present principal Dr. Lekshmi Nair.”