Mysuru: The issue of appointment of non-teaching staff in the University of Mysore (UoM) allegedly in violation of rules during December 2016 has got a new twist with Registrar R. Rajanna writing to the State Government claiming that the government order on terminating the staff was “non-executable” as the appointments were temporary for a period of 11 months.

The Higher Education Department had directed the University to terminate the appointment of 124 non-teaching staff in the University done in December 2016 during the tenure of the former Vice-Chancellor Prof. K.S. Rangappa and Prof. R. Rajanna, the Registrar (who recently took charge as Registrar for the second term).

The Department has acted on the instructions from the office of Governor Vajubhai R. Vala. The Department has also issued orders to file criminal cases against those involved in the irregularities in the recruitment.

After the directions issued by the Higher Education Dept. to the University were forwarded by the acting Vice-Chancellor Prof. T.K. Umesh to the Registrar, Rajanna has replied that the appointments were for temporary period of 11 months and the government order was non-executable.

“After the perusal of the appointment orders issued by the University, it was found that there are absolutely no employees appointed as non-teaching staff in December 2016. Hence, implementation of directions issued by Principal Secretary, Higher Education Department as well as the VC’s office is non-executable,” the Registrar wrote.

Rajanna pointed out that these staff members were appointed for 11 months and were temporary in nature and their services have been terminated after 11 months. He said that even though the services had been terminated, they are re-appointed later. They’re still working in the University. They were reappointed in January 2018 when someone else was the Registrar,”  Prof. Rajanna wrote.

“These appointments are neither the subject matter of the conclusions provided in the enquiry report nor do these appointments find a place in the directions issued from the office of Principal Secretary under reference,” the letter said while arguing that the Government’s directions were ‘non-executable’,” he stated.