Absorption of guest faculty: Govt to challenge HC order

The Department of Higher Education is set to file an appeal against the Karnataka High Court order which directed the University of Mysore to consider senior guest/temporary faculty with 10 years of service as permanent staff.

At a meeting chaired by Higher Education Minister G T Deve Gowda recently, officials said that the university could not implement the order as the University Grants Commission norms do not provide for absorbing guest faculty.

On April 23, Justice R Devadas directed the state government and University of Mysore to initiate measures for absorbing 59 guest faculty/temporary teaching staff (petitioners in the case), as permanent staff, within six months as a one-time measure.

The court had also directed the varsity to maintain roaster and reservation while absorbing these faculties on permanent basis. "The court even told that in case the petitioners do not have necessary qualifications prescribed by the UGC, then a time-frame should be given to them to acquire the eligibility. But there is no provision under UGC norms to take such measures. So, we brought this to the notice of the government," said a senior official of the university.

The official said the university had started the process to implement the court directions. "We had sent communication to all affiliated colleges and departments asking them not to remove any guest faculty from service and we were also in the process of getting data on the number of guest faculties working in the university. But the process was halted after it was decided to appeal before a division bench," the official said.

Higher Education Minister G T Devegowda said that after a detailed deliberation it had been decided to file an appeal against the order of the single judge.