A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court has observed that it is prima facie of the view that the notification issued by the Registrar in-charge appointing the new board of studies at Kannur University is not in consonance with the statutory provisions.
The Bench comprising Chief Justice S. Manikumar and Justice Shaji P. Chali made the observation while issuing notice to the Registrar and board members on an appeal filed against a single judge’s verdict dismissing their writ petition challenging the board of studies reconstitution.
The appeal was filed by Vijayakumar and Shino P. Jose, members of the academic council of management studies at the university. According to them, the notification issued on August 11, 2021, reconstituting the board of studies at the university was illegal. In fact, many among them were not teachers, even in the broader sense of the term. The members appointed included not only corporate heads but teachers of self-financing colleges too.
Besides, the Syndicate had no authority to appointment members of the board of studies. The appellants contended that Chapter XIII of Statute IV of the Kannur University First Statute prescribed nomination of chairman and members of the board of studies only by the Chancellor.
They also contended that teachers at government and aided colleges alone could be nominated, and unaided and private college teachers could not be treated as teachers, as there were no procedures in respect of approval of their appointment. The teachers appointed at self-financing educational institutions, though such institutions are affiliated to the university, were outside the purview of the definition of ‘teacher’ of the university.
The court posted the appeal for further hearing on January17.
