University Grants Commission (UGC) has lodged a counter affidavit in the Supreme Court challenging the appointment of Priya Varghese as an Associate Professor at Kannur University.
Varghese, who is the wife of KK Ragesh, the secretary to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, faces potential trouble with her appointment being scrutinized against UGC guidelines.
According to a report by ANI, the UGC contends that the period spent by a candidate pursuing PhD studies cannot be counted as professional experience. If the Supreme Court aligns with the UGC's stance, Varghese's appointment may be called into question.
The controversy surrounding Varghese's appointment gained momentum when the second-ranked candidate raised objections, alleging a violation of UGC guidelines. Last year, a division bench of the Kerala High Court overturned a previous judgment that ordered a re-examination of Varghese's appointment. This decision favored Varghese, enabling her to assume her new role.
However, the dissenting candidate pursued the matter to the apex court, prompting the UGC to file its counter affidavit. Given the impending summer recess of the Supreme Court, it is likely that the case will be deferred until after the break.
Varghese's ties to KK Ragesh, a former Rajya Sabha member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)), have drawn additional scrutiny to the situation. Ragesh, known as a close confidant of CM Vijayan, currently serves as his private secretary.
The controversy further intensified when a Right to Information (RTI) query revealed that Varghese secured the highest marks in the personal interview, despite her research score being considerably lower than that of the second-ranked candidate. While Varghese scored 32 out of 50 in the interview, her research score was a modest 156 compared to the second-ranked candidate's score of 651.
