Thiruvananthapuram: Higher Education Minister R Bindu stated that University Grants Commission (UGC) standards or allied norms were not flouted in the move to appoint principals in the state-run colleges. 

Responding to allegations, Minister added that the final appointment list is yet to be prepared, and she hadn't even seen the purported list. She added that each institution has been treated as an individual unit for the appointment process in accordance with UGC norms.

"According to UGC norms, each college should be assessed separately for the appointment. The precedent is to create a list based on the teachers' seniority. In accordance with this, a selection process was conducted for 55 openings, and a preliminary list of 67 individuals was compiled. A subcommittee later shortlisted 43 applicants. There were contentions and a committee was appointed to take follow-up actions," she said. 

Meanwhile, R Bindu cited technical issues for the 67-person applicant list being reduced to 43. She continued by saying she hadn't seen the final list, contrary to the allegations. 

Leader of Opposition V.D.Satheesan and State BJP President K. Surendran had been demanding the minister's resignation for tampering with the college principals list.