Appointment row: Teachers’ team meets Katheria

LUCKNOW: The controversy surrounding the appointment of assistant professor in the psychology department of the Lucknow University refuses to die down.

On Sunday, members of Rashtriya Shaikshik Mahasangh, Uttar Pradesh unit, met Union minister of state, HRD, Ramshankar Katheria and explained the anomalies in the LU selection process.

The members handed him a letter demanding cancellation of all the interviews that were held in psychology, maths and statistics departments recently. Prof Katheria promised to pursue the matter so that justice could be done. Prof Katheria was here to attend a prize distribution ceremony.

“The provisions of UGC Regulation 2009 have been used in an arbitrary manner by LU,” reads the letter penned by Prof Somesh Kumar Shukla, president, Rashtriya Shaikshik Mahasangh, UP. The Mahasangh has demanded that the university should call everyone for interview as per the advertisement published in 2015. All those applicants who are qualified and eligible as per the UGC provisions and who are working on approval of LU in the university and associated colleges should be considered for interview.

The letter further reads: “The committee constituted by the UGC and headed by its former chairman Arun Nigvekar for eligibility criteria like PhD and NET is still awaited. Till the time this committee submits this report, all the interviews should be suspended.”

The Mahasangh has requested the minister to look into this matter and issue necessary instructions in this regard. Meanwhile, the aggrieved applicants Arti and Sunita Balani have threatened to move a petition in court challenging Lucknow University’s selection of assistant professor in psychology department.