A report by the State Audit Department has identified several key individuals, including Kerala Legislative Assembly Speaker A.N. Shamseer, as being responsible for irregularities in the recruitment process for faculty positions at the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS). Apart from Shamseer, the report also points to Fisheries Minister Saji Cherian's private secretary Manu C. Pulikkal, Kaipamangalam MLA E.T. Tyson, and 12 other former members of the University’s Governing Council as being accountable.

The committee investigating these irregularities was chaired by A.N. Shamseer, who had been appointed by KUFOS itself. It was this committee that first flagged the procedural issues in the teacher recruitment process.

Also Read

placeholder

Black idols, shaved body hair: Family suspects satanic worship in Thiruvananthapuram man's murder

While the 2018-19 audit report raised concerns about irregularities, the university did not provide a response. The 2019-20 audit report included similar findings, and the university's response was partial. The 2020-21 audit report went further, pointing out that members of the university's governing council were responsible for these irregularities.

The Audit Department, after discovering that the appointments were in violation of UGC regulations, withheld the salaries and benefits of the appointed faculty members. A total of ₹4.88 crore has been withheld between 2019-20 and 2021-22. The audit report also pointed out that marks had been awarded for journals and publications not recognised by the UGC, which further contravenes the regulations.

What’s next for the Government?

The KUFOS Act, Chapter 2, Section 8, recommends an investigation into the university's functioning by the state government. In response to a question about whether the university could conduct its own inquiry, the university’s reply indicated that the Governing Council, as the highest authority, could appoint a sub-committee to clarify the matter. However, the university did not specify under which section this would be done.

The report from the committee, chaired by K.V. Sumesh MLA, has been forwarded to the government as the university’s official response. The government’s next course of action will be based on the decisions it makes regarding the report.