Kerala University has instituted a probe into allegations against a deputy registrar who purportedly refused to grant maternity leave to a woman until she appeared in person.
An all-woman panel chaired by the Joint Registrar (Administration) and comprising Joint Registrar (Academic) and Deputy Registrar (Administration – 3) that was tasked with the inquiry will submit its findings on Wednesday, sources said.
The employee, who rejoined duty on March 1 after a long leave, had submitted an application for maternity leave on March 8. She gave birth to a child two days later. On enquiring about the status of her leave application, he came to know that it was rejected.
She was directed to submit the application to Deputy Registrar (Administration) Santhosh Kumar in person. Despite her difficulties associated with post-partum, the employee and her husband turned up at the university headquarters on March 18. The couple were allegedly made to wait for two-and-a-half hours before they could meet the official. The probe was launched on the basis of a complaint submitted by an employees’ union.
