Let 'New College' principal work sans interference, Madras HC tells MU
Chennai: The Madras high court has directed the University of Madras not to interfere with the continuance of A.Abdul Jabbar, the present principal of the New College (Autonomous) in Royapettah.
Justice Satrughana Pujahari granted the interim injunction while ordering notice, returnable by November 15, to the state government, University of Madras, and UGC on a petition filed by T.Rafeeq Ahmed, the hon.secretary and correspondent of the New College, which challenged the letter of the university, insisting the college to constitute a selection committee as per UGC regulations, for the appointment of principal of the college.
Senior counsel Issac Mohanlal, appearing for the petitioner, submitted that the post of principal fell vacant due to the retirement of the previous incumbent on May 31, 2018. In anticipation of the vacancy for the post of principal, the college issued a circular, inviting applications for the post of principal from eligible candidates of the college as per UGC (minimum qualifications for appointment of teachers and other academic staff in universities and colleges and other measures for the maintenance of standards in higher education) regulations, 2010. Twenty eligible candidates from the college applied for the post. The managing committee of the college conducted interview on April 12, 2018, and decided to promote A.Abdul Jabbar as principal of the College with effect from June 1, 2018. Accordingly, he was appointed as principal, Issac Mohanlal added.
He said Abdul Jabbar has the requisite qualification for appointment to the post of principal. He possesses M.Sc, M.Phil and Ph.D degrees. He has 30 years of experience in teaching. He was fully qualified to hold the post. He was one of the senior-most faculty members serving as associate professor and head of the department of chemistry. The college sent proposal dated June 19, 2018, seeking qualification approval from the university of Madras. The university’s qualification approval was necessitated for the purpose of submission of proposal to the director and joint director of collegiate education for approval of the principal’s appointment for disbursement of staff grant towards salary. The college also submitted proposal to the director of collegiate education seeking approval of appointment of principal Abdul Jabbar for the purpose of release of grant-in-aid towards his salary. While so, by the impugned letter dated July 12, 2018, the university informed the college that syndicate of the university has
decided not to approve the qualification approval of Principal Abdul Jabbar and informed the college to follow the UGC regulations, Issac Mohanlal added. He said though it was not clear in the letter as to which part of the UGC regulations were required to be followed by the college, it was understood that the university was insisting to constitute election committee. The act of the university was arbitrary and unconstitutional.
