Madras high court orders Pondicherry University to fill vital posts before November end

PUDUCHERRY: The Madras high court has directed the Pondicherry University to fill the posts of the registrar and the controller of examination before the end of November this year.
The court was hearing a petition filed by the Pondicherry University Non-Teaching Staff Welfare Association (PUNTSWA) seeking a direction to university to fill vital posts of the registrar, controller of examination, finance officer and librarian.
The first bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice P D Audikesavalu refused to concede to the university's request to grant three months' time to fill the posts.
"Since the two positions are key posts, the need to fill them cannot be overemphasized. The university should take immediate appropriate steps to ensure that the selection process is completed, such that the persons to be appointed join the respective posts by the end of November 2021," said court said and posted the matter on November 11 to assess the progress made by the university till then.
The university earlier maintained that appropriate steps have been taken, but, primarily because of the second surge of the Covid-19 pandemic, the process could not be completed. The university further stated that the entire exercise of appointment of registrar and controller of examination could be completed within three months or so.
The varsity pointed out that the ensuing puja holidays and the subsequent Diwali-break should be considered and pleaded with the high court to grant three months' time to complete the process. However, the high court directed the university to fill up vital posts before the end of next month.
In the petition, PUNTSWA president K Kaliaperumal pointed out that the university issued a recruitment notice on September 8 last year to fill posts of registrar, controller of examination and other vital posts. The university, which received 71 applications for the post of registrar and 53 applications for the post of controller of examination, screened and shortlisted eligible candidates but failed to complete the recruitment process and fill up the posts.