Medical university faculty hiring influenced by TN govt

Pushpa Narayan, TNN, Oct 16, 2010

CHENNAI: Political interference at the highest level influenced the selection of teaching and administrative staff at the Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University over a three-year period from November 2006 to November 2009, according to data accessed under the Right to Information ( RTI) Act. The MGR University is Tamil Nadu's premier medical university to which all government medical colleges and at least seven private colleges are affiliated.

Documents obtained by TOI indicate the role of the Raj Bhavan and office of the state health minister, MRK Panneerselvam, in influencing the selection process in favour of certain applicants, thereby denying meritorious candidates a chance. The governor, Surjit Singh Barnala, is the chancellor of the university and the health minister is its pro-chancellor. The selection committee was chaired by then vice-chancellor K Meer Mustafa Hussain.

Details of resumes, reports on committee meetings and appointment orders in at least three cases indicate the manner in which norms were flouted. The university had on August 4, 2008, received an application from a candidate, M Shanthi on which a signed note written in green ink reads, "Recommended and forwarded by Hon'ble Minister MRK Panneerselvam, minister for health and family welfare."

A month later, Shanthi was appointed UGC coordinator. Strangely, her appointment letter was not sent to her but instead despatched to the health minister's office and was duly acknowledged and received by the minister's assistant, Shanmugam. The acknowledgment copy is attached to the university's files relating to Shanti's appointment.

In another instance, the university received an application from a candidate, Dr K S Uma, for the post of reader in the department of siddha on November 21, 2008. A signed note on the resume in green ink reads, "Telephonic message from Raj Bhavan to consider this candidate Dr K S Uma for the post of reader in Siddha." On January 19, the selection committee chaired by then vice chancellor Dr K Meer Mustafa Hussain went on to appoint Dr Uma to the post.

In another instance, on August 21, 2007, the university selection committee had recommended a candidate, Dr Rajalakshmi, as a lecturer for the department of siddha. Though the recommendation was accepted by the governing council on Sept 21, 2007, the selection committee went on to modify its own decision some time later and shifted Dr Rajalakshmi to a "wait list".

Another candidate Dr E Manigantan was then recommended for the post. The university later created another post for a lecturer and appointed Dr Rajalakshmi without advertising for it. On being confronted with the evidence, university officials defended all the appointments saying the candidates were chosen on merit. "The appointments were made based on standard procedures," said a senior university official.