Kerala Fisheries University hit by nepotism row

Express News Service
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Close on the heels of the controversy over the appointment of spouses of MLAs to educating posts in universities, the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (Kufos) has landed in a nepotism row. Save Education Campaign Committee, a discussion board of training activists, has approached Governor Arif Mohammed Khan with a criticism that the Vice Chancellor and Registrar-in-charge of Kufos facilitated appointment of their spouses as Dean (Fisheries) and Director (Research) respectively within the varsity.

The petition demanded motion towards the Vice Chancellor and the Registrar-in-charge for alleged nepotism and blatant violation of Kufos Act and Statutes. The petition urged the Governor, who’s the Chancellor of the varsity, to nullify the controversial appointments.

According to the petitioners, the Kufos Act was amended simply earlier than the Model Code of Conduct for meeting election got here into impact. It was amended with the intention of extending the time period of service of Dean to 5 years with wage and allowances as similar as that of a senior professor, together with a particular allowance. Only one eligible software every was obtained for the posts of Dean (Fisheries) and Director (Research) and these have been of the spouses of the Vice Chancellor and the Registrar-in-Charge, the petition stated.

“The University Governing Council did not scrutinise the application for the post of Director (Research) and choose eligible candidates. The selection committee was constituted by the Vice Chancellor himself. Besides, the meeting of the selection committee to recruit Dean (Fisheries) was not chaired by the Vice Chancellor or any authority empowered as per Kufos Act or Statutes,” stated the petition.

VC denies prices

Responding to the costs, Kufos Vice Chancellor Ok Riji John advised The New Indian Express that the allegations towards the appointments have been baseless and the candidates, who have been chosen for the posts have been duly certified. He stated the posts have been marketed in two main Malayalam dailies and an English day by day and the notifications have been printed within the college web site as properly.

“Only one candidate each turned up for both the posts. The statute of the university stipulates that the Vice chancellor shall constitute the interview panel and it was followed in both the cases,” he stated. “Being the spouses of the Vice Chancellor and the Registrar-in-Charge of the University need not come as disqualification for the candidates, who have excellent track records. Both candidates were selected on the basis of merit by the interview board,” he added.

The Vice Chancellor additionally denied irregularities within the interview course of and added that he stored himself out of the interview panel for collection of Dean (Fisheries) as his spouse was the applicant.