Thiruvananthapuram: The decision of the High Court approving the appointment of assistants in Kerala University from the controversial rank list would ensure that they would get their long-pending promotions. The employees have been denied promotions to the senior grade when their juniors have been promoted as section officers. However, the promotion orders of the juniors have specifically stated that they were subject to the final judgement of the High Court. This meant that the promotion of many of the juniors would have to be rescinded.
As many as 45,538 university graduates had taken the examination for 350 vacancies and 198 of them were appointed. Only 137 of them are now in the university while others have opted for other jobs. The Crime Branch case which came for consideration of the High Court was related to corruption and favouritism in the appointment to the post of university assistants (UA) grade-II on the basis of the written examination held in 2005. The complaints included the missing of OMR answer sheets and issuing of two hall tickets to some candidates. The attendance sheets at examination centres and the answer sheets were also found destroyed.
Though the written test was for 100 marks, it was later scaled down from 100 to 75 and the score for the interview was increased from 20 to 25 in violation of university statutes and court orders. There was also a complaint that the interview board rarely had quorum when it met. The Lok Ayukta had twice found that the accused in the case, including a former vice-chancellor, pro-vice chancellor and CPM members of the then syndicate, responsible for corruption and malpractice. Justice Sukumaran Commission appointed by the high court also upheld the findings of the Lok Ayukta.
