The principal of a government degree college recently posted a message in its WhatsApp group urging lecturers to be up-to-date with their documentation, as in all likelihood two joint directors will be visiting the college to inspect the documentation.
The message was no pressure tactic, but indeed a fact that the Mangaluru Regional office of the Department of Collegiate Education (DCE) has two joint directors for a fortnight.
According to a government order (DCE/TRN/INC/17/2020), the appointment of Dr Jenifer Lolita C as in-charge joint director of the Mangaluru Regional office was terminated immediately from January 17. In the same order, the government had directed Sreedhar Babu A G, serving as an associate professor in Government First Grade College, Kadur, Chickmagalur district, to assume charge as joint director.
Sources in the regional office, DCE, told DH that Dr Lolita had succeeded in getting a High Court stay on the order terminating her services.
Since then Dr Lolita has been occupying the seat of the joint director, sources told DH.
Sreedhar Babu confirmed that Dr Jenifer had shown him the court order and had occupied his seat. Babu says he avoided confrontation with Dr Jenifer as he will be retiring by the end of this month.
"I did not want to face harassment or other charges at the end of my career,” he said matter-of-factly.
“As I have received directions from the department that I am the joint director, the documents or even the official vehicle has not been handed over to Dr Lolita. She comes, sits on my chair and returns home in the evening,” he said.
The department’s official website still declares Dr Jenifer as JD of Mangaluru Regional office, DCE.
Dr Jenifer, serving in Maharani Science College, Bengaluru, had not reported to the office on Thursday. On Friday, no one in the office was aware of her whereabouts. Dr Jenifer also did not respond to calls from DH.