MG university | Photo: Mathrubhumi
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday came down heavily on Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, over the dismissal of its employees. The court asked if the university is mooting privatisation.
The bench headed by Justice UU Lalit was considering the appeal of the university against the Kerala HC order to reinstate the dismissed employees.
The university had handed over the self-financing institutes affiliated with it to a 'government-controlled society', the Centre for Professional and Advanced Studies (CPAS). The society initiated action against the employees, including permanent staff.
Establishing societies for financial gain is justifiable. But how can the university claim that CPAS is an independent institution when its members are government staff and ministers, the court asked.
If you pay less, you will get only underqualified faculties, said the court as a reply to the argument that many faculties were underqualified. However, the court said that it will not order to reinstate unqualified employees. The salary disbursed so far cannot be reimbursed, the court clarified.