Mysore varsity registrar warned of legal action

The newly appointed registrar of the University of Mysore (UoM) has been warned of legal action following complaints of violation of the roster system while appointing principals to the constituent colleges of the varsity.

In a letter addressed to Registrar C Basavaraju, Commissioner of the Social Welfare Department Naveen Raj Singh has stated that there were violations of the Karnataka Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes (Reservation of Appointment) Act, while appointing principals. He warned that the registrar would face a six-month jail term if he did not cancel promotions to the post of principals to the four constituent colleges of the UoM.

The violation of reservations in the roster system came to the fore after Mysore University Dalit Employees’ Association, Mysore, complained to the Social Welfare Department regarding the appointment of principals to the Maharaja’s College, Yuvaraja’s College, University Evening College and Fine Arts College, in December 2012.

The then vice chancellor V G Talawar, following a notice, had maintained that the backlog and reservation orders and the Karnataka State Universities Act would be followed while appointing principals. “In case of principals retiring from service, eligible candidates from the SC/ST category will be appointed to the posts,” Talawar had said. Despite the assurance, the roster norms had been ignored while appointing principals to Yuvaraja College and Fine Arts College, Singh said. Singh, in his recent letter to Basavaraju, has instructed him to appoint principals according to the reservation rules, and submit a report to the Social Welfare Department.