The Karnataka High Court has upheld the termination of two professors from Malnad College of Engineering in Hassan but directed the institution to pay each of them Rs 40 lakh as compensation within four weeks, along with any pending statutory dues. A division bench comprising Justices D.K. Singh and Tara Vitasta Ganju delivered the ruling on March 3 or 4, 2026, while allowing an appeal by the college against a single-judge order that had earlier quashed the terminations and reinstated the professors until superannuation age.

The professors, Dr. K.P. Ravikumar and Dr. M.K. Ravishankar from the Automobile Engineering department, had their services terminated in 2023 following the permanent closure of the course due to financial unviability. The college issued relieving letters on September 11, 2023, which the professors refused to accept initially but later challenged in the high court after receiving them by post and email. A single-judge bench had ruled in their favor, directing continuation of service until retirement at age 65. The college appealed, arguing no legal or contractual right existed to employment once the department was legitimately shut down and posts abolished.

The division bench agreed with the college's position, holding that professors teaching a specific course have no inherent right to continue until retirement if the department closes permanently for valid reasons. The professors did not contest the closure itself, focusing instead on reinstatement. However, recognizing their long service from 1997 to 2023—over 26 years—the court took an equitable view and awarded substantial compensation to mitigate the impact of the termination.

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This decision balances institutional autonomy in managing unaided courses with fairness toward long-serving faculty. The court emphasized that job security does not extend indefinitely when a program becomes unsustainable, but compensation serves as a just remedy in such cases. The directive for payment within four weeks, plus statutory benefits, provides immediate financial relief to the affected professors.

The ruling underscores broader implications for private engineering colleges in Karnataka facing enrollment declines or financial constraints in niche branches. It may influence similar disputes where departments are phased out, reinforcing that while terminations can be upheld, courts retain discretion to award equitable relief based on service tenure and circumstances. The case highlights ongoing challenges in higher education management amid evolving student preferences and funding realities in the state.

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