BABU S Vs. KERALA UNIVERSITY

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner, who is presently working as an Associate Professor in Mathematics in the University College, Thiruvananthapuram, is aggrieved by the rejection of his application for appointment to the post of Associate Professor in the Kerala University.

(2.) The University of Kerala issued Ext.P1 notification for appointment of Associate Professors in various subjects including Mathematics. The petitioner submitted his application and he received Ext.P3 call letter. His complaint is that he was not allowed to appear for the interview. In Ext.P3 following three defects were noticed:

(3.) Regarding the first defect the contention of the petitioner is that he being an Associate Professor in a College since 2010, is not required to have the publications; he has got 4 publications; regarding the 2nd defect he has stated that it is irrelevant as he has already produced his Ph.D certificate and the defect number 3 itself is "eligibility certificate for Ph.D", when he had already produced Ext.P4 eligibility certificate. According to him a person like petitioner who is working as Associate Professor is not expected to have further qualifications like 5 publications and the qualifications prescribed in Ext.P1 are only applicable to the Assistant Professors who are intending to apply for the post of Associate Professor. Producing Exts.P5 to P9 series of certificates and orders petitioner pointed out that several research scholars acquired M.Phil under his guideship; he was recognised as a guide for Ph.D in 2012, he was a member of the Board of Studies of Mathematics for PG; he was the Chairman of Board of Studies (UG), etc ; therefore, according to him he is having over qualification and the action of the University in not permitting him to participate in the interview, that too when there were only 3 candidates, is illegal.