Kerala Guv seeks explanation for appointing wife of CM's secy as associate professor

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 6 Acting on Save University Campaign Committee's complaint that rules were flouted while appointing the wife of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's private secretary as an associate professor at the Kannur University, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Saturday asked for a report from the university's Vice Chancellor, Gopinath Raveendran.

In June, Priya Varghese, the wife of Vijayan's secretary K.K. Ragesh, was appointed as an associate professor of Malayalam at Kannur University.

From the time the interview process had begun in November 2021, the word was that Varghese will get the job, while the Youth Congress was up in arms that Raveendran was doing his best to get an extension of service, which he got, soon after the interviews ended.

The Save University Campaign Committee and few other persons have been protesting ever since Varghese's name appeared among the six candidates shortlisted for the interview.

Varghese was an assistant professor of Malayalam at Kerala Varma College in Trissur in 2012. Those who have been opposing her appointment highlighted that the qualifications required to become an associate professor included having a PhD degree and eight years of teaching experience, which Varghese did not have.

They claimed that she had taken leave of three years to complete her PhD, and it cannot be counted as teaching experience.

Besides, they maintained that her experience of two years as a student director on deputation at the Kannur University also cannot be counted as teaching experience.

However, Varghese has all along stood her ground, claiming that she has all the required qualifications for the post.