HC upholds varsity appointment

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has dismissed a 2014 petition challenging the qualification and appointment of a person as Reader/Associate Professor in the Department of Education and Management in Tamil University, Thanjavur.

The court was hearing the petition filed by S. Ravivarman, president of Tamil University SC/ST Teacher Employee Development Association, who challenged the appointment of K. Chinnappan as Reader in Tamil University.

At the time of appointment in 2007, Mr. Chinnappan did not possess the mandatory and minimum qualification of Ph.D in Education and completed it only in 2011, the petitioner said adding that he sent representations to authorities.

Justice S. Srimathy observed that the petition was hit by latches. The promotion was granted in 2007, then a representation was made in 2011 and a petition was filed in 2014. The court took note of the fact that Mr. Chinnappan had Ph.D in Tamilology (Drama).

The petitioner contended that the university prescribed one of the qualifications as Ph.D in Education, but Mr. Chinnappan held Ph.D in Tamilology (Drama). Therefore, he was not qualified.

However, Tamil University submitted that it had never published such a notification. As per the prescribed qualification, the Reader could be appointed if the candidate had a good academic record with a doctoral degree or equivalent published work. The court held the appointment of Mr. Chinnappan as valid.