The Central University of Kerala (CUK) has decided not to renew deputation of R. Girishkumar citing that he had sought out-of-way promotions to head the International Relations (IR) Department of the institution, triggering a row.
The decision was taken after Dr. Girishkumar, whose deputation ends on January 15, was found to have secured two promotions in a short period, a CUK statement said. S.R. Jitha, Associate Professor, has been handed over the charge of the IR department.
A section of CUK faculty under the aegis of the Confederation of University Teachers’ Organisation of Kerala (CUTOK) deplored the “surprise action” against Dr. Girishkumar. A CUTOK office-bearer said in a statement that the CUK Vice-Chancellor had taken a decision to keep him as the IR department head considering his academic eligibility to remain in the senior position.
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According to the CUK statement, Dr. Girishkumar, posted in the Mahatma Gandhi (MG) University in 2006 as Assistant Professor, had been on deputation in the CUK since July, 2012.
As per the 2010 University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations, a person with 12 years of teaching experience is eligible to be posted in the rank of Associate Professor and those with 15 years of teaching experience can be promoted in the rank of Professor. However, Dr. Girishkumar was officiating as Associate Professor from October 17, 2012 and was occupying the post of WTO Chair Professor from January last year.
The promotions awarded by the CUK went against the UGC norms. Besides, the decision to award promotions to Dr. Girishkumar, who was on deputation, could be made only by his parent institution (MG University). The illegal promotions had caused a loss of Rs.6.5 lakh to the CUK, the university statement said.
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Varsity decides not to renew deputation of IR department head
Teachers’ organisation flays ‘surprise action’ of university