Governor's VCs: Government's grip on universities is loosening

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the governor making his own appointment in VC posts everywhere except in Malayalam and MG universities, the government's grip on the universities is loosening.

Recently, in Calicut and CUSAT universities too, the VC in charge was assigned after rejecting the government's panel. Since the government's favourites are not becoming VCs, things cannot be done out of the way in the universities. An example is the VC blocking the student election to the senate in The University of Kerala and blocking the unusual promotions of some teachers.

The left members were waiting to take the agenda of many important issues to the syndicate after Dr. Mohanan Kunnummal stepped down from his post at the University of Kerala. However, the government's calculations boomeranged when Dr. Mohanan Kunnummal was re-appointed as the VC of the Health University and given the additional charge of the University of Kerala. Though the government has given a panel suggestion to make Digital University VC Saji Gopinath, whose term expires tomorrow, the VC in the Technical University and Dr Rajasree, who was earlier expelled from the Technical University by the Supreme Court, the VC in Digital University, the governor may not consider it.

The move is to get permission for the appointment of the VC from the High Court citing the Supreme Court verdict that the government should not interfere in the appointment. Earlier, there was a high court order that the charge of the VC should be handed over in consultation with the government. The Governor will file a special petition for modification of this order citing the Supreme Court order.

Government's misstep in Health University

• The Supreme Court order expelling Gopinath Raveendran, who was the Kannur VC, said that the Chancellor can re-appoint the VCs in an independent manner using his own power and there should be no interference of the government.
• The Supreme Court, which accepted the reappointment of Dr Gopinath Raveendran, had cancelled his appointment in December last year, citing unnecessary interference by the government.
• If the government had given a letter to the re-appointment of Dr. Mohanan Kunnummal, the governor would not have been able to re-appoint him.