A recent circular issued by Karnataka State Law University (KSLU) demanding its affiliated colleges hire teachers who have postgraduate law degrees only through KSLU or National Law School, is a violation of the basic fundamental rights and its implementation will be “disastrous”, said Lolaksha, president of AHINDA, Dakshina Kannada, on Sunday.
Addressing presspersons, Mr. Lolaksha reproduced the circular issued on October 5, which directed colleges to “withdraw” services of teachers who have obtained their PG degree after 2011 from other universities or through correspondence.
Claiming that this violated fundamental rights such as right to profession, equality before the law, Mr. Lolaksha said the circular would affect thousands of law students studying in universities such as Bangalore University, Gulbarga University, and even final year students of S.D.M. Law college and Vaikunta Baliga, Udupi who come under Mangalore University law department (most colleges shifted over to KSLU only in 2009 after its formation. Hence, those who joined in 2009 would be in the final year of their five-year course now). Moreover, he said, 50 per cent of these students were meritorious students falling under Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe or Other Backward Classes, and not allowing them to teach in colleges here would be unfair.
The organisation also lambasted the KSLU for assuming its degrees had more significance than other PG Law degrees obtained in the State.
‘Not recognised yet’
“The KSLU degrees are yet to be recognised by the Bar Council of India or the University Grants Commission. They have not even held convocation for their postgraduates or awarded degrees to their students. And, KSLU offers only two specialisations – constitutional law and intellectual property rights. Who will teach the other courses offered by affiliate colleges? Even after these colleges, how can it not recognise the PG degree holders from universities recognised by the BCI and UGC?” he said.
He asked how many graduates from the KSLU undertake and pass NET (National Eligibility Test, which is required to undertake lectureship) to ensure that enough graduates with KSLU degrees become teachers for thousands of students in under graduate courses.
The organisation will submit a letter within a week to Governor H.R. Bhardwaj, who is the Chancellor of Universities, State Minister for Law Suresh Kumar and Principal Secretary, Higher Education Siddaiah.
