Allegations of irregularities over the appointment of an Associate Professor as the National Service Scheme Programme Coordinator (in-charge) of Madurai Kamaraj University have snowballed with Joint Action Council - MKU (JAC-MKU) writing to Higher Education Secretary demanding nullification of the appointment.
The order informing the nomination of P. Rajkumar, from Department of Sociology, as the NSS Programme Coordinator (in-charge) was served to him on February 8 by the then Registrar (in-charge) P. Vijayan, who was relieved on the same day.
Citing the recent appointment of two senior professors based on seniority as Registrar (in-charge) and CoE (in-charge), JAC-MKU, which is a coalition of four teaching and non-teaching staff associations, has said in its letter that appointment of NSS Programme Coordinator in-charge ought to have been made in a similar manner based on seniority and other necessary qualifications.
Claiming that undue haste was shown in the appointment, a senior office bearer from a member association of JAC-MKU said that an NSS Programme Coordinator should ideally have served a minimum of three years as NSS Programme Officer and must have attended NSS-related training.
“The present appointee does not fulfil these requirements. What is the urgency in appointing one of the junior-most faculty members without any NSS experience as its Programme Coordinator, an office with huge responsibility of coordinating NSS programmes in all affiliated colleges and handling large funds inflow?” he questioned.
A senior official from the university acknowledged that due process of inviting applications from interested candidates and forming a selection panel to decide on the appointment were not followed.
When contacted, Mr. Rajkumar told The Hindu that the allegations of inexperience were baseless since he had more than 15 years of teaching experience, including nearly 12 years outside MKU.
“I may not have served as an NSS Programme Officer but I have actively participated in NSS in my college days. Moreover, I come from Sociology department and hence have a natural inclination towards NSS-related work,” he said.
He claimed that even lecturers and faculty members not part of university’s permanent staff had previously served as NSS Programme Coordinator.
Refuting the allegations, Mr. Vijayan said that there were no violation of norms in the appointment and it was done with approval from Higher Education Secretary.
“Inviting application and forming a selection panel are needed only when a regular appointment is made. Mr. Rajkumar, however, is appointed only as in-charge,” he said.
“Professors and heads of departments will not suit the post of NSS Programme Coordinator as they will be busy with other academic and administrative work. That is why an Associate Professor, who can allocate adequate time for the job, was chosen,” he added.
