New MG University Syndicate to be headed by CPM nominee spurned by govt

Kottayam: The CPM has decided to form the new MG University syndicate under the leadership of the lecturer who was proposed for the registrar’s post by the party but was not considered by the state government.

The new syndicate will be formed next week to replace the old one, whose term ended on June 22.

MLA representative Suresh Kurup or Veena George may likely replace the current syndicate member Raju Abraham.

The CPI has not decided on its representative.

The CPM had nominated a party loyalist and a college teacher for the registrar’s post. However, the higher education department did not consider the nomination due to technical issues.

The CPM Kottayam district leadership had expressed to the state leadership its displeasure over the decision.

The members appointed by the party shoulder the responsibility of carrying out the instructions of the party and the government in the syndicate. They are, therefore, the heads of the syndicate.

P K Harikumar, the CPM district secretariat member, and K Sharafuddin, the private secretary of a current minister and the CPM’s organisational leader in the university, were the heads of the previous syndicate.

But the appointments courted controversy when the Opposition approached the court challenging them. The court, however, upheld the appointments.

This time, a lecturer is being appointed to the syndicate to avoid such controversy. Also, Harikumar has indicated that he doesn’t intend to continue in the syndicate and Sharafuddin is now in the minister’s office.

The syndicate structure

Total members in the syndicate: 24

Members nominated by the government: 15

Of the 15, 8 are educational intellectuals; 3 are college teaching professionals; 2 are principals; an MLA representative and a student representative.

The vice-chancellor, pro vice-chancellor and deans of various faculties make up the other nine members.