CASTE AWAY

CASTE AWAY

Herald Review June 22, 2014  

Goa University bypasses rules to give reserved category teaching posts to non- Goans even though there were qualified local applicants, inviting criticism of caste discrimination

LISA ANN MONTEIRO

A s if those from ST (scheduled tribes), SC (scheduled castes) and OBC ( other backward castes) communities haven’t struggled enough, Goa University ( GU) has recently exacerbated the situation by permanently denying them teaching posts in the reserved category. Those from the reserved category from outside Goa have instead been offered these posts on regular basis, in what seems to be a completely unjustifiable decision.

As far as universities are concerned, recruitment is national except for reserved categories as these categories are defined locally, with the percentage of reservation also set locally. Qualification doesn’t ensure the reserved candidates are recruited, but other candidates cannot be interviewed before those eligible are declared as ‘ unsuitable’ for the post.

Pending a suitable candidate the university re- advertises the post where anyone can apply in the general category and can be offered a post only for one year on temporary/ contract basis. In no case can the candidate appointed in the general category have any legal right or claim on the post the next year.

In the University Grants Commission rules, under ‘ Procedure to be followed in matters of reservation for teaching as well as non- teaching staff,’ the rules state, “ 8a i) SC/ ST candidates should be interviewed separately. ii) One member of the Interview Committee shall belong to the SC/ ST category.” Rule 9 vi) states, “ In case no eligible reserved candidates are available, the vacant seats in the reserved quota shall not be filled by any non SC/ ST candidates. Every effort shall be made to re- advertise for wider publicity in the leading national newspapers.” The Goa University has first blundered in allowing reserved candidates from outside the state to appear for interviews alongside reserved candidates from Goa.

One candidate applied for the post of Professor of Management Studies in the reserved category. Although qualified for the post, a candidate from Tamil Nadu was given an offer of appointment on regular basis with protection of salary.

The aggrieved candidate sent a letter to GU Vice Chancellor Dr Satish Shetye and Chairman of the University on June 14 and hasn’t received any reply yet. His letter states that one Palanisamy Saravanan was given the offer of appointment to the post of Professor in Management studies.

There was also no representative of his community on the selection panel.

It further states that the screening committee had clearly passed a remark saying the candidate Saravan was not eligible under the reserved category of Goa.

Another qualified candidate from the reserved category is utterly disappointed with the university. “ If we’re not getting jobs in the reserved quota we will never get them in the general quota. This is injustice. The post is reserved for Goans. Each state has its own quota. In spite of working hard there is nothing for us. Even reserved posts are being taken away from us. How much injustice do we have to face? It was a big shock for us and we cannot express our distress.” Irregularities in appointments have also been found in the department of botany, sociology and economics.

Once local candidates protested, it was rumoured that two letters of appointment were kept in abeyance.

Goa University’s many committees in their quest for excellence failed to stop the injustice and insensitivity to the community. The candidates went through the screening committee, selection committee, executive council and letters of appointment were even signed by the university’s Chancellor, Governor Bharat Vir Wanchoo.

Some educationists find this very upsetting. No other state would have dared to do this they say. “ The entire purpose of reservations is lost. This is a Constitutional scandal and reflects the quality of decisions. Excellence is not everything. The university doesn’t require the best in the world. This is not a legal slip up. Everyone knows the rules, it is not rocket science. This happened because of lack of social sensibility and lack of academic vision for these people. It amounts to caste discrimination in the most serious form. The University shouldn’t say they will correct it the next time. This will add insult to injury. The candidates shouldn’t suffer for their ( GU’s) bungling. They need to find out where the process was flawed.

On September 17, 2013 GU advertised for 72 vacant posts of professor, associate professor and assistant professor in various departments of which 39 were in the unreserved category, 17 posts reserved for those from the OBC, eight from the ST and 1 from the SC. The first of the ‘ General Instructions’ in the advertisement states that ‘ The University reserves the right to appoint the candidate from the general category purely on contract basis in case if suitable candidate is not available from the reserved categories.’

The vacant teaching positions advertised were in the departments of English, Hindi, Marathi, Konkani, Portuguese, French, Economics, Political Science, Sociology, History, Philosophy, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Earth Science, Computer Science and Tech, Botany, Zoology, Marine Science, Biotechnology, Microbiology, Commerce and Management Studies. The last date to receive applications was October 31, 2013 and interviews were conducted towards the end of the academic year.

The matter was discussed at the executive council meet on Friday and the Registrar Vijayendra Kamat said the appointments would be kept on hold until an inquiry into the matter was complete. Review Bureau