Kerala Governor tells VCs of 9 universities to resign by today; CPM hits back

“Letters directing Vice Chancellors of nine universities of Kerala to tender their resignation by 11.30 a.m on 24 October 2022, have been issued. Letter also emailed to VCs and Registrars of varsities concerned: PRO, Kerala Raj Bhavan,” it said.

Besides the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University, the list includes University of Kerala, Mahatma Gandhi University, Cochin University of Science & Technology, Kerala University of Fisheries & Ocean Studies, Kannur University, Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, University of Calicut and Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University.

On Friday, the Supreme Court had held that the search committee which recommended the appointment of Rajasree M S as the V-C of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University was “not duly constituted” and the appointment flouted UGC norms.

The SC noted that “as per Section 13(4) of the University Act, 2015, the (search) committee shall recommend unanimously a panel of not less than three suitable persons… which shall be placed before the Visitor/ Chancellor”. It pointed out that in this case, the committee had only recommended Rajasree’s name.

Following the SC’s decision, the state government on Saturday informed Raj Bhavan that it was recommending Kerala Digital University V-C Dr Saji Gopinath as V-C of A P J Abdul Kalam Technological University.

Khan, in his letter to the V-Cs on Sunday said, the Supreme Court verdict was applicable to other universities also. The letter said that in view of the apex court verdict, nine V-Cs – “either appointed from single-name panels or recommended by the search/ selection committee with non-academician as member” — are ineligible to continue.

According to Khan’s letter, in most of the nine cases, the chief secretary (a non-academician) was a member of the search committee.

In the case of the University of Kerala, only Dr Mahadevan Pillai’s name was recommended as V-C, and the chief secretary was a member of the search committee, said the letter. Pillai’s term ends on Monday.

In the case of Mahatma Gandhi University V-C Dr Sabu Thomas, Kerala University of Fisheries & Ocean Studies V-C Dr Riji John, Kannur University V-C Dr Gopinath Ravindran, Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit V-C Dr M V Narayanan, and Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University V-C Dr Anil Kumar, the search panel had recommended only one name, said the letter.

According to the letter, in the case of Cochin University of Science & Technology V-C Dr K N Madhusoodanan and University of Calicut V-C M K Jayaraj, the panel had recommended three names, but the chief secretary was a member of the search committee.

Protesting against the Governor’s decision, the CPI(M) state secretariat said in a statement: “The act of the Governor shows the Sangh Parivar conspiracy to weaken Kerala’s resistance against the saffronisation of the education sector. He has insulted secular Kerala… V-Cs in Kerala have been appointed as per the norms prevailing in the state. Under their leadership, the higher education sector in Kerala is conquering new highs… The Governor’s move is part of a conspiracy to destroy the state’s higher education and part of the Union Government’s common agenda to torpedo the state’s developmental schemes.”

Kannur University V-C Dr Gopinath Ravindran, who was re-appointed in November last year, said he would not resign. “A case is pending in the Supreme Court pertaining to my appointment. Let the Governor sack me. The directive is very unusual,’’ he told mediapersons in Kannur.

The control of universities has been a sore point between the Governor and the LDF government in the state. Last month, the Kerala Assembly had passed the University Laws (Amendment) Bill 2022, which seeks to curtail the powers of the Governor in the appointment of V-Cs.

Following this, Khan, who is yet to approve the Bill, had said: “I shall not allow the autonomy of the universities to be diluted. I will not allow executive interference in universities… That will result in erosion of autonomy of the universities and it’s a sacred concept.”