New Delhi: The Sri Chitra Tirunal Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology has found itself in a soup after it advertised for a fresh round of recruitments without any "backlog filling" as directed by the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) and also stated that no reservation would be granted for Group A (Scientific and Technical) posts.
On October 17 this year, the NCSC had asked the director of the Kerala-based medical school to complete the backlog filling in all posts, including Group A within three months. But the institute advertised for Group A posts on November 28, with reservation only at the entry-level (Engineer B).
The Sr. Deputy Director of SCTIMST informed the NCSC stating that Group A scientific and Technical posts has been specifically exempted from reservation. But when the commission enquired about the order from the minister required for such exemption, the institute sought more time for it. The order that was sought was the reservation in service for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes-Exemption of Scientific and technical posts.
This time, the institute stated that it need not show the order as that rule was applicable to departments and ministry and not for autonomous bodies such as itself.
However, according to documents accessed by News18, in an SCTIMST Governing Body meeting on MARCH 3, based on the similar order that was sought by NCSC, it was decided that Amendment to the Reservation Policy of the Institute would be made by which the introduction of reservation was made in the entry cadre of academic posts.
The question which then arises is when this order is not applicable to SCTIMST, then how did the governing body use it?
The Group ‘A’ category considers applications for Professors, Assistant Professors, Associate Professors, Scientists and Engineers. The petitioners who had approached the commission with a complaint had earlier submitted their grievances alleging that the autonomous medical school “is not following reservation policy in respect of recruitment and promotion meant for SCs”.
SCTIMST, which falls under the Department of Science and Technology, receives a grant-in-aid from the government of India. Hence, it is also bound to implement the rule of reservation in all categories involving appointment and promotions as mandated by the Ministry of Home Affairs in 1974.
“The Ministry of Science and Technology has clarified that no such order has been given to SCTIMST under the department of Science and technology for relaxation/exception from implementing reservation policy of government of India for recruitment to Group A posts, including scientific and technical posts such as academic staff engineers, scientists,” the Commission found.
The institute also allegedly violated the provisions provided by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
On September 30, 1974, the Home Affairs Ministry had said that “all autonomous bodies — cooperatives, municipalities, universities and institutes, which are receiving grant-in-aid from the central government are directed to take suitable action for providing suitable reservation for SC/ST. Suitable provisions in the relevant statutes or in the Article of respective bodies need to be made.”
The institute has neither sought nor been given an exemption from the reservation policy by any competent authority as per Chapter 2.8 of the Reservation Policy, News18.com has learnt from sources.
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