The deans of various departments in Kakatiya University (KU) have expressed their support for Vice-Chancellor Prof. Thatikonda Ramesh. The Vice-Chancellor has been facing allegations of irregularities in PhD admissions. In a joint statement, the deans strongly denied any wrongdoing and explained the reasons behind the controversy.
For the past five years, there were no admissions for the PhD course. To address this, the Vice-Chancellor increased the number of seats by involving retired professors and eligible faculty from government degree colleges as supervisors.
Initially, meritorious students who received prestigious national fellowships were admitted under category-I in June 2022. The trouble began when the PhD admission process moved to category-II. The entrance exam key was made public on the KU website and corrections and suggestions were sought. Subject experts discussed the suggestions and prepared the final key. Candidates also had access to their OMR sheets.
The Vice-Chancellor emphasized that interviews should be conducted based on merit, reservation rules, and transparency. The entire interview process was recorded on video, which was a first for the university and was appreciated by all.
The selection committees included experienced faculty members and representatives from marginalized groups to ensure social justice and inclusion. Subject experts from national institutions and other universities were also involved. Candidates with concerns were advised to approach the deans for clarifications.
Some students who wanted to gain attention before the upcoming assembly elections have caused disturbances on campus. They have threatened authorities and damaged university property. Retired professors, part-time teachers, non-teaching employees, and a few executive council members have been involved in the unrest.
The joint statement was issued by deans Prof. Banna Ailaiah, Prof. Y Narasimha Reddy, Prof. P Malla Reddy, Prof. P Amaraveni, Prof. Vijayalaxmi, Prof. T Srinivasulu, Prof. S Ramanatha Kishan, and Prof. T Manohar.
