Kerala University Senate passes resolution against Governor

Thiruvananthapuram: The Senate of the University of Kerala on Saturday passed a resolution against Governor Arif Mohammed Khan and termed the latter's decision to constitute a Search Committee for selecting a new vice-chancellor without including its representatives as undemocratic. 

The Senate also urged the Governor, who doubles up as Chancellor of the university, to disband the search panel.

However, the present vice-chancellor VP Mahadevan Pillai is silent about the swift turns of events, despite knowing very well that he is likely to face action.

If it is found that the vice-chancellor has committed wrongdoing, Pillai could see suspension or worse yet, expulsion. However, he can take comfort in the fact that only months remain in his current tenure. The current tenure ends in October.

The Governor has already announced he will order a full-fledged investigation into the allegations of nepotism in appointments made to various posts in the

Universities.

Delayed process

The Search Committee should've been constituted in early August, but was delayed by the lack of action on the part of the Senate.

As per the current law, the panel that appoints a new vice-chancellor should comprise a nominee of the Governor, University and the University Grants Commission. The panel must submit a list of options for the Governor to give the final word.

Initially, the name that made the rounds was Planning Board vice-chairman VK Ramachandran's. However, he withdrew himself from the race.

Due to the delay in submitting new names, the Governor took the matter into his own hands and constituted a Search Committee to find a new vice-chancellor.

It is this Committee that formed the three-member panel. It includes Director of IIM Kozhikode Dr Debashish Chatterjee as the Governor's nominee and VC of Karnataka Central University Batu Satyanarayana as the UGC nominee. 

The Office of the Governor had earlier stated that a University nominee will be included later, but this has not happened yet.

Meanwhile, the matter of naming a new nominee of the university to the selection panel was omitted from the agenda of the Senate meeting held on Saturday.
The ties between the Kerala State Government and the Governor are frayed with the latter often refusing to budge over the affairs of universities. Two higher education institutions in Kerala — Kannur University and University of Kerala — are in the midst of the ongoing tussle between the Governor and the State administration.