Amid crisis, CU goes for serial promotions

Rajeev.KR@timesgroup.com

Kozhikode:  23.05.2020

Even as the state government has deferred the salary of government employees to overcome the financial crisis following spread of Covid-19 and the resultant lockdown, the leader of the pro-CPM Calicut University Employees Union (CUEU), who has been serving as deputy registrar has been granted promotion by the varsity as joint registrar, just 20 days before her retirement.

The incumbent joint registrar, also a member of the union, had gone on leave for 20 days which facilitated the promotion of Padmaja S, who is the president of CUEU, as joint registrar.

Instances of employees who are set to retire securing last-minute promotions in the vacancy created after senior employees go on leave just before retirement, often after entering into tacit understanding, have been going on in the varsity for long. It enables retiring employees to get higher pension and also the new pay scale can be used for leave surrender.

Another person belonging to a pro-UDF union has also got promoted as joint registrar this month after his senior colleague went on leave just before his retirement. Also, an assistant registrar was promoted as deputy registrar and a section officer was promoted as assistant registrar. “Such unethical practices have been going on in the varsity for years. It causes increased financial liability to the varsity,” a syndicate member said.

Varsity registrar C L Joshy said, “Varsity cannot deny the right of employees to go on leave before retirement and give promotion to employees for whom it is due”.

The leader of the pro-CPM Calicut University Employees Union (CUEU), who has been serving as deputy registrar has been granted promotion by the varsity as joint registrar, just 20 days before her retirement