Bharathiar University vice-chancellor booked under SC/ST Act

She alleged that she was being humiliated in the varsity on caste lines and was denied the job of an assistant professor, besides a post-doctoral fellowship in the university. 

N Srilakshmi Prabha, a doctorate degree holder from the Department of Biotechnology in Bharathiar University, had applied for the post of assistant professor in 2016. 

“Though I am qualified for the post, the university appointed someone else through illegal means and by violating reservation norms,” she said. 

Prabha claimed that she should have been considered for the post as hers is an inter-caste marriage (her husband is a Caste Hindu) and ‘Bharathiar University promised to give priority in jobs to our family members, when my father-in-law’s agricultural land was acquired by it in 1986.” 

In this regard, she had moved a writ petition in the High Court in March 2017 after her petition to the Higher Education Secretary failed to evoke any response.

Subsequently, Prabha had also applied for UGC’s post-doctoral fellowship for women in the university for a tenure of five years. “The UGC directed me to upload the verification proforma before July 31, 2017, and I submitted it to the Registrar on June 27 through my mentor. Instead of forwarding my verification proforma, the Registrar sent me a letter on July 3 asking me to change the institute,” she alleged adding, “It proves that the university is intentionally denying my fellowship due to personal conflicts regarding the violation in recruitment at the university.” 

Prabha alleged that the VC has humiliated her by ordering non-teaching staff not to allow her into the department. “Since then the staff began to treat me as an untouchable. Also my husband, a Caste Hindu, was stripped off his contractual job as a driver by the university and was abused for marrying an SC woman,” she said. 

Prabha also raised the issue with the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC), New Delhi, and an inquiry was held, but the Vice Chancellor failed to comply with its order. 

On receiving a complaint, the Vadavalli police booked the Vice Chancellor on charges of preventing an SC/ST person with regard to practi sing any profession, intentionally humiliating and under SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act 2015.

Members of the Bharathiar University syndicate defended the Vice Chancellor claiming that all decisions, from the job selection process to terminating the contract of the driver were collective decisions by the selection committee and the syndicate. “The Vice Chancellor did not make any individual decision,” said a group of syndicate members, in a statement. 

The statement, duly signed by the syndicate members, claimed that Srilakshmi Prabha was not considered for the post of Assistant Professor as there was a better candidate. However, they refused to elaborate claiming it might amount to sub-judice as the matter is pending in court. 

Also, the complainant’s husband R Kanagaraj was removed from work as he frequently reported for duty in a drunken state. “Kanagaraj had also entered the VC’s chamber and behaved in an indecent manner,” said the statement. 

The university has clarified that the VC is not absconding fearing arrest as scrolled by television channels. “The VC is attending a program on capacity building organised by the Tamil Nadu State Council for Higher Education which is presided over by Governor Banwarilal Purohit in Chennai. It is followed by another meeting organised by the Education Department,” said the statement.