The appointment of a new head for Centre of Excellence for Studies in Classical Kannada (CESCK) has riled its former director who has approached the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) questioning his removal and the legality of the process.
The CESCK is yet to receive autonomous status and continues to function under the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL) in Mysuru.
K.R. Durgadas, who was appointed as the Project Director of CESCK in 2017, was issued relieving order on August 18. He has not only challenged his removal but also questioned the new recruitment process, which was initiated and the notification for which was issued in February this year.
Dr. Durgadas also alleged that the incumbent head of CIIL – D.G. Rao – worked at the Regional Institute of Education – NCERT, Mysuru and was vested with additional charge as the Director of CIIL and hence did not have the authority to make appointments.
In his petition to the CAT, Dr. Durgadas claimed that the former’s tenure expired on May 23, 2020 and the government had not passed any order extending his office and hence his acts were not tenable under the law. So the CAT has been urged to quash the new appointment.
Drawing attention to the terms and conditions to the recruitment of the project head of CESCK, the petitioner contended that it had to be done through a selection committee whereas the impugned recruitment was conducted without any committee being constituted by the MHRD, Government of India.
When contacted, Dr. Rao said the appointment to the post of Project Director of CESCK was contractual and renewable every year. But the renewal is also based on satisfying certain norms and progress shown in the absence of which the contract was extended only by six months and finally terminated by following the due process of law.
The appointment of the new project director of CESCK is also contractual in nature and he took charge recently, Mr. Rao added.
