Rakib Altaf
SRINAGAR: Even as the row over the all-eve rock band refuses to die down, a female academic of the university of Kashmir has written to the Governor complaining of “gender bias” among the administration, who she says “deliberately” marred her elevation to a higher rank.
Aneesa Shafi, associate professor and former head of the Sociology department at Kashmir University, was interviewed last month for her promotion as a full fledged professor, but was declared unsuccessful.
She has accused the university hierarchy of violating all rules and regulations of the University Grants Commission as part of their “gender politics” to sabotage her promotion.
The academic also said she had to face “embarrassing” comments from members of the selection panel, which comprised only males.
“I had to face humiliation and embarrassment which forced me to inquire about the absence of a woman representative in this committee,” she writes in her letter to Governor NN Vohra, a copy of which is with this reporter.
“It was responded by a sarcastic laugh by all the members.”
Deliberate
Ms Shafi, who was made an associate professor in the Department of Sociology, Kashmir University in 2003 applied for the post of Professor under ‘Career Advancement Scheme’ in November, 2011.
After passing the screening test committee, her interview was held in late January this year; the selection panel comprising Prof. Ehsan-ul-Haq, Retired Professor, CSSS/JNU (Population Studies), Prof. Sanjay Bhatt, Department of Social Work, DU (Social Work) and Prof. R. S. Sandhu, Retired Professor, Department of Sociology, GNDU (Urban Sociology).
Contrary to the rules of the UGC, she writes, the selection committee which was constituted by the competent authority had “only two subject experts from the discipline of Sociology”. The third was from Social work, an “alien subject”.
“….in the year 2006, Sociology and Social Work were declared as the two entirely different subjects.”, she tells the Governor.
“(That year) University of Kashmir had to quash the selection committee for the posts of three Lecturers and two Readers in Social Work and Sociology simply on the objectionable ground that that a common selection committee was constituted for these two entirely different disciplines.”
No violation
The associate professor has also complained that the absence of a female selector was “deliberate” on part of authorities at the University, where gender politics is rife.
“According to UGC norms if an applicant belong to SC/ST/OBC/ Minority/ women or differently abled categories, an academician should be in the panel from the same category,” her letter states.
Registrar of the University, Professor Zafar said he did not received any formal complaint regarding the issue but insisted there had been no violation of rules.
“After UGC norms there is also the University Act. There has to be constitution of selection committee which have different quorum,” he said, adding “Only experts can comment further on it.”
The associate professor has forwarded a letter also to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah who is the pro chancellor of the University.
