Professor who taught for 19 years was thrown out in one line, court reprimanded the college

Usha PS, a 52-year-old assistant professor who taught at Jain College in Bengaluru, Karnataka for about 19 years, was fired from her job by the college with just a one-line termination letter. After this he approached the court. Now the decision in this case has come in his favor. The Educational Appellate Tribunal held that the action of the college was against the rules, canceled the order of termination and directed the college to reinstate him to the post of Assistant Professor.

Usha PS started working as a lecturer in Life Sciences in the year 2005 at the JC Road Campus of Jain Group of Institutions. After this, in January 2021, he was transferred to Vasavi Road Campus. Then on January 29, 2024, he was given only a one-line notice, in which it was written that his job would be terminated from April 28, 2024. The surprising thing was that the notice did not even mention why he was being fired from the job.

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decided to fight a legal battle

After receiving the termination notice, Usha PS wrote a letter to the college management demanding withdrawal of it and continuation of service till retirement. He said that he is a permanent employee and cannot be removed from the job without following the procedure laid down under Section 92 of the Karnataka Education Act, 1983. After not getting any response from the college, he filed a petition in the Educational Appellate Tribunal.

The college’s arguments could not stand the hearing.

The college argued in the tribunal that the number of students in Life Sciences subjects was decreasing and the curriculum changed after the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP 2020), due to which the courses related to Usha subjects were reduced. The college also cited the condition of the appointment letter in which there was a provision for termination of service by giving three months’ notice.

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However, during the hearing, questions were raised on many of the college’s claims. The principal could not prove who gave him the written permission to issue the termination notice. He also admitted that during this period, new teachers were appointed and other faculty members were also transferred.

Tribunal ordered reinstatement

During the hearing it also came to light that Usha PS was teaching not only life science but many important subjects like environmental science, Indian Constitution. Apart from Zoology, he had also obtained a law degree. College records also revealed that his number of weekly classes had increased compared to before, undermining the argument that there was no work for him.

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Given nearly two decades of impeccable service, the absence of any disciplinary complaint and the contradictory record of the college, the tribunal held the termination to be illegal. In the decision given on June 29, the college was directed to reinstate Usha PS to her post.