Kerala Agricultural University faces backlash over abolition of 213 non-teaching posts

Kochi: Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) has come under fire after it decided to abolish 213 non-teaching posts, citing the implementation of e-office systems and state's financial constraints. The move, formalised through a recent order, will affect computer assistants, last grade servants, lab assistant grade III, clerical assistants, HDV and LDV drivers.
The university's order, invoking Clause 7 of a govt directive, stated that in offices where e-office is operational, positions such as typist (equivalent to computer assistant in KAU) and office attendant should only be filled on a contractual basis during essential periods. KAU suspended all PSC and internal recruitment to these posts, noting that cadre strength would be revised only after further orders.
The decision has triggered widespread protests from employees' unions cutting across political lines. Congress-affiliated Kerala Agricultural University Employees Union (KAUEU) alleged that the move didn't have the approval of university's general council or executive committee — a mandatory requirement for such decisions.
KAUEU leaders said that the decision was based on a work-study report prepared by a committee headed by interim vice-chancellor B Ashok and the interim registrar. The union alleged that the report was unilaterally prepared without conducting any proper study or consultations with staff and stakeholders.
"The work-study report was not placed before the general council or executive committee. According to legal experts, such major restructuring of posts requires the approval of these bodies. A unilateral order from the vice-chancellor cannot stand," said KAUEU president Deepesh PK. The Left-aligned Kerala Agricultural University Employees Association too condemned the move, accusing the vice-chancellor of tarnishing state govt's image under the pretext of e-office implementation.
Meanwhile, data emerged that there were significant lapses in the appointment of temporary staff to universities across Kerala, bypassing the statutes. Higher education minister R Bindu, responding to a question by MLA IC Balakrishnan in the state assembly, said a majority of temporary appointments across state universities bypassed employment exchanges — a violation of existing statutes.
Bindu's statement revealed that 3,422 people were appointed on a daily wage or contract basis by universities, while only 142 appointments were made through the employment exchange. This includes 971 in Kerala University, MG University (328), Calicut University (704), Kannur University (359), Cusat (511), Sanskrit University (261), Malayalam University (84), Kerala Technical University (95) and 109 in Sree Narayana Guru Open University.
As current govt policy allows temporary staff to be made permanent during emergencies, the cancelled permanent positions at KAU are expected to be filled with temporary appointments — a move that would effectively block PSC-ranked candidates from securing the posts. Federation of All Kerala University Employees Organizations (FUEO) submitted a petition to the governor, demanding the cancellation of all such temporary appointments made in universities across the state.