Interview Performance Sole Criterion for Assistant Professor Selection: Kerala High Court Upholds UGC Norms - 2025-04-07

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Kerala High Court Affirms Interview-Based Selection for Assistant Professors, Dismissing Merit Claims

Kochi , Kerala - The Kerala High Court has dismissed petitions challenging the selection process for Assistant Professors at Fatima Mata National College , Kollam, upholding the college's adherence to University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations that prioritize interview performance in faculty appointments. Justice N.Nagaresh , presiding over the case on March 18, 2025, ruled that the selection process, based solely on interview marks as per UGC guidelines, was valid and did not warrant judicial interference.

Petitioners Allege Bias, Demand Merit-Based Selection

Three PhD holders, Dr. Mini.B, Dr. Reethumol Joy, and Dr. Shyni Thankachan , filed writ petitions (WP(C) Nos. 26405, 27655, and 28376 of 2024) contesting their non-selection for Assistant Professor positions in Hindi, Political Science, and Commerce respectively. They argued that despite their superior academic qualifications, including PhDs, the selections were manipulated to favor "blue-eyed boys" of the college management. The petitioners contended that the selection should have been based on a scoring system that considered their academic merit, rather than solely on interview performance. They sought the quashing of the ranked lists and directions for the college to follow UGC guidelines that, according to them, emphasized academic scores.

College Defends Interview-Centric Process Based on UGC Regulations

Fatima Mata National College , represented by its standing counsel, countered that the selection process strictly followed the UGC Regulations of 2018. These regulations, as clarified by a University of Kerala order dated September 9, 2021, stipulate that selection for Assistant Professors should be based only on interview performance. The college argued that it had constituted a duly regulated Selection Committee, comprising university nominees, subject experts, and representatives from various categories, ensuring impartiality.

Court Affirms UGC Regulations and Limited Scope of Judicial Review

Justice Nagaresh , after hearing both sides and examining relevant documents including UGC regulations and university orders, sided with the college. The court emphasized that the UGC Regulations of 2018 are binding and explicitly state that while academic scores are for shortlisting, the final selection is based solely on interview performance.

The judgment highlighted Clause 4.1 and the "Note" below it in the UGC Regulations 2018, which states: "The Academic score as specified in Appendix II (Table 3B) for Colleges, shall be considered for short-listing of the candidates for interview only, and the selections shall be based only on the performance in the interview."

The court further noted the composition of the Selection Committee as per Regulation 5.0, emphasizing the presence of independent members, including university nominees and subject experts, which minimizes the scope for manipulation. "As there are independent persons in the Selection Board, I do not find any scope for manipulations in the interview," Justice Nagaresh observed.

Referring to the Supreme Court's judgment in Tajvir Singh Sodhi v. State of Jammu and Kashmir , the High Court reiterated the limited scope of judicial review in selection processes for public employment. The court quoted excerpts from Tajvir Singh Sodhi and other precedents, emphasizing that courts should not act as appellate authorities over expert selection committees unless there is proven malafide or violation of statutory rules.

>" ...It is not within the domain of the Courts, exercising the power of judicial review, to enter into the merits of a selection process, a task which is the prerogative of and is within the expert domain of a Selection Committee, subject of course to a caveat that if there are proven allegations of malfeasance or violations of statutory rules, only in such cases of inherent arbitrariness, can the Courts intervene. "

Petitions Dismissed, Interview-Based Selection Upheld

Ultimately, the Kerala High Court found no grounds to interfere with the selection process conducted by Fatima Mata National College . The court concluded that the college had adhered to the prevailing UGC regulations and university orders. Finding no illegality or procedural impropriety, Justice Nagaresh dismissed all three writ petitions.

This judgment reinforces the primacy of interview performance in the selection of Assistant Professors in colleges, as per the current UGC guidelines, and underscores the limited judicial review available in such selection matters unless clear evidence of malafide or rule violations is presented.