MADURAI
The Syndicate of Madurai Kamaraj University, which met on Friday, decided to seek a response from K. Karnamaharajan, Head, Centre for Film and Electronic Media Studies, on the report of the Internal Complaints Committee that found him guilty of sexual harassment. The charge was levelled against him by one of his research scholars.
Interestingly, the decision comes more than three months after the Syndicate passed a resolution in February to send the Professor on compulsory retirement based on ICC’s findings and recommendations. While university officials at that time said that the resolution was sent for approval to the Governor’s office, there was no further progress.
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Mr. Karnamaharajan had denied the allegations and blamed the ICC of acting in a biased manner. The research scholar, who made the complaint, meanwhile, petitioned the university and the Governor’s office, questioning the inordinate and ‘inexplicable’ delay in enforcing the resolution passed in February.
She had also complained about non-allocation of another research guide for her by the university, which was one of the recommendations of the ICC. Following complaints, she was recently allocated a guide.
Sources privy to the meeting said that since Mr. Karnamaharajan had petitioned the authorities, including Governor’s office, that he was not given a fair hearing by the ICC and the evidence was wrongly interpreted, it was decided to give him another opportunity to present his arguments against ICC’s findings in writing.
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A legal opinion will subsequently be sought on his submission, based on which further course of action will be decided, the sources added.
Other key resolutions passed by the Syndicate included the payment of a one-time stipend of ₹ 8,000 from university’s funds to research scholars, who are not otherwise eligible for stipends.
Similarly, a resolution was passed to form a committee to look into regularising the employment of non-teaching staff who had worked for more than ten years, in accordance with reservation policies and other stipulated norms. Another resolution was passed to ensure that retiring employees received 90 % of their superannuation benefits within a week’s time.
Though there were rumours that Registrar V. Chinniah could be provided an extension even though he has to step down in the first week of June on completion of 58 years, no resolution was passed in this regard. The Joint Action Council of Madurai Kamaraj University (JAC-MKU), a coalition of a few teaching and non-teaching staff associations, had petitioned the Vice-Chancellor to not give him an extension.
Sources said that the resolutions would come into force after the minutes of the meeting were approved by its members and the resolutions were given a nod by Governor’s office.