UGC: PhD Duration Ineligible as Teaching Experience for Priya Varghese’s Hiring

The Supreme Court has issued notice on the appeal filed by the University Grants Commission (UGC) regarding the appointment of Priya Varghese as Associate Professor at Kannur University. The appeal challenges the Kerala High Court’s decision to consider the period spent pursuing her PhD as teaching experience. Priya Varghese is the wife of K K Ragesh, private secretary to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

The UGC argues that the High Court’s interpretation of Regulation 3.11 of the 2018 UGC regulations is erroneous. The Division Bench of the High Court had ruled that the time spent pursuing a research degree under the Faculty Development Programme can be counted as teaching experience for regular faculty members if done simultaneously with their teaching assignment. However, the UGC maintains that the time taken to acquire a PhD degree should not be counted as research/teaching experience unless it is pursued simultaneously with teaching assignment without taking any leave.

According to the UGC, Priya Varghese’s period as a full-time Research Scholar pursuing her PhD cannot be considered as teaching or research experience, and she does not meet the required 8 years of teaching experience for the Associate Professor post. The UGC also raises concerns about the High Court’s decision to treat Varghese’s deputation as Director of Student Services/Programme Coordinator of NSS as teaching experience by the university.

The case has significant implications for the academic community, as the Division Bench had highlighted that ruling against such experience being counted as teaching experience could deter teachers from going on deputation to such posts, fearing career progression setbacks.

In November 2022, a Single Bench of Justice Devan Ramachandran had previously ruled that Priya Varghese did not possess the required teaching experience for the Associate Professor position and directed the University to reconsider her credentials. The decision came after a writ petition filed by Dr Joseph Skariah, who challenged Varghese’s inclusion in the Rank List, asserting that she lacked the prescribed 8 years of teaching experience. The recent appeal by the UGC questions the High Court’s stance on this matter.