Dr Mohanan Kunnummal can continue as Kerala University VC; HC quashes plea

KOCHI: The High Court dismissed the petition filed by the Senate members challenging the Chancellor's action in assigning the temporary charge of the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Kerala to Prof. Dr. Mohanan Kunnummal.

The Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Basant Balaji dismissed the petition that alleged Dr Mohan lacked the qualifications prescribed by the UGC. The petition was filed by Senate Members Dr. A. Sivaprasad and Priya Priyadarshanan.

Mohanan Kunnummal, the Vice Chancellor of Kerala Health University, has been holding the additional charge of Kerala VC since 2022. Following the delay in the appointment of a permanent VC, the then Governor Arif Mohammed Khan gave Dr. Mohanan the temporary charge.

The Senate members filed the petition alleging that Mohan was over 60 years of age with no research degree in his account. They also argued it was inappropriate for an MBBS doctor to be appointed the VC of the Kerala University.

Advocate P. Sreekumar, appearing for the Chancellor, argued that the VC was given the temporary charge and therefore being over 60 years of age is not a disqualification. The UGC guidelines only stipulate that rank of professor to become the Vice Chancellor. A research degree is not mandatory according to the norms. In medical studies, MD after MBBS is considered equivalent to a research degree. Dr Mohan is thus a qualified person to have assumed the chair of VC of Kerala University.

The petitioners are members of the Senate. They also argued that the appointment of a permanent VC is being delayed because the Senate representative was not included in the search committee.