Madras High Court Orders Approval of 19 Assistant Professors

A ruling by the Madras High Court has overturned the collegiate education department’s decision to reject the appointment of 19 assistant professors at Loyola College, including a librarian. The court mandated that the authority must approve these appointments within three months, following a petition from the college challenging the prior order issued on January 27, 2023.

Justice C. Kumarappan issued the order while addressing Loyola College’s claims regarding the recruitment process. The college argued that it had submitted proposals for the positions in 2019 and 2020, which fell within the sanctioned strength of 149 teaching and 59 non-teaching posts. It further contended that it received official sanction for 32 posts through various government orders dated January 8, 2021. As a minority institution, Loyola College maintained that it was not required to seek prior government approval to fill these sanctioned positions.

The collegiate education department opposed the college’s plea, stating that the proposals failed to comply with the requirements set forth in the Tamil Nadu Private Colleges Regulation Act, 1976. However, the court noted that established judicial precedents confirmed that minority institutions do not need to obtain prior permission for filling sanctioned posts.

In light of these findings, the court concluded that the reasons for rejecting the proposals were not legally tenable. Consequently, Justice Kumarappan quashed the department’s order, emphasizing that the college’s right to appoint staff was protected under existing legal frameworks.

This decision is expected to have significant implications for the staffing and operational capabilities of Loyola College, a well-known institution in Chennai, as it moves forward with the approved appointments.