Kannur varsity row: Priya Varghese explains why her research score is low

Priya Varghese, wife of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s private secretary K K Ragesh, has yet again defended her controversial appointment as an associate professor in Kannur University, calling claims made by her opponents ‘mere number games’.

In a Facebook post on Monday Varghese said the follies in the figures being celebrated as an RTI reply by media had to be exposed immediately.

Varghese took to social media a day after media widely reported about the RTI information which revealed that her research score was a mere 156, while the second-ranked candidate secured 651. The document also shows that she got the maximum marks (32 out of 50) in the personal interview, while the second-ranked candidate scored 30.

Varghese said the research scores mentioned in the document were auto-generated while applying for the post online. The physical verification of the qualifications claimed in the application was meant to be conducted on the day of the interview but it did not happen as the interview also took place online.

She said the huge difference between the scores hers and the candidate who secured the second rank happened because she had submitted list of her articles published only in UGC-approved journals in Malayalam. She has also posted a list of such approvals.

She said research score is evaluated only for short-listing the candidate. “It is only checked if a candidate has the required score of 75 marks. Other than that, it has not been examined if the additional scores claimed by any candidate is deserving or not. Only after such a verification is done, one can ascertain the validity of the numbers (in the RTI document). So, one need not celebrate those figures so much,” she wrote.

She said the initial allegation that rules regarding teaching experience were flouted for her appointment has already been proven baseless. It was alleged that according to UGC regulations the period of faculty improvement programme could not be considered as teaching experience. However, the University recently received a legal opinion that such an interpretation of the UGC regulations was wrong.

“Since the interview for the post was conducted online, its recordings are available. They could also be sought through an RTI query and telecast on TV channels,” Varghese said, saying he welcomed such a move as she had no dearth of confidence.

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, also the chancellor of the varsities in the state, has asked Kannur University Vice-Chancellor for a report on the alleged irregularity in the appointment of Varghese as an associate professor in the Department of Malayalam.

In June, Priya Varghese was cleared for appointment as an associate professor of Malayalam at Kannur University, after she was placed first among the six candidates who had appeared for the interview.

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

Those 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 she did not have.

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

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

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

With the controversy continuing to grab headlines, even though the University cleared her appointment, she did not join last week. Her her deputation was extended for a year, where she presently works in a language-related state-run institution.

Now all eyes are on the Governor on what he does with the complaints.