Dr. Ciza Thomas and Dr. Sivaprasad take charge: Re-appointment of two interim VCs: Governor rejects government panel

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government-Governor battle has intensified after the Governor, rejecting the government's panel, appointed temporary Vice-Chancellors in technical and digital universities on his own. The government had maintained that the VC appointment should be from the government's panel. However, after receiving legal advice that there was no mention of the panel in the order, the Governor re-appointed Dr. Ciza Thomas (Digital) and Dr. K. Sivaprasad (Technology) as temporary VCs and issued a notification. Both of them took charge in the morning.

Higher Education Addl Chief Secretary Sharmila Mary Joseph and IT Special Secretary Sambasiva Rao wrote to the Governor demanding that the appointments be cancelled and appointments should be made from the government's panel. The Chief Minister also wrote to the Governor demanding that the VC appointments be cancelled as they were not in accordance with the law. “The Governor’s action is against and in violation of the spirit of the Supreme Court order. Permanent VCs should be appointed in both places. The government’s opinion should be heard before the appointment,” the Chief Minister demanded in the letter. Minister Rajiv accused the Governor of challenging the Supreme Court by appointing the VC and implementing the RSS agenda. Minister Bindu said that the appointment was a unilateral decision of the Governor.

Order in favour: Raj Bhavan

• The Supreme Court order did not say that the VC should be appointed from the government's panel. The Governor has been authorized to re-appoint the current VCs.
• The government's ability to recommend PVCs, close VCs and departmental secretaries is not sustainable as it is illegal under the UGC rules.
• The government's recommendation is only needed to make the departmental secretary the temporary VC. However, this is impossible since the Supreme Court has ordered that only academicians who have been professors for 10 years can be made VCs.

Government to face in court

The Supreme Court has issued an interim order on the appointment of digital and technical VCs. The case will be considered again on August 13. The government will inform the court that the Governor made the appointment without being from the government's panel.

Governor for consensus discussion

The Governor will call the secretaries of the Higher Education and IT departments for a discussion based on the Supreme Court's order requiring consensus in the appointment of permanent VCs. It will be demanded that the stay obtained by the government against the search committee formed by the Governor for the appointment of VCs in 8 universities be lifted.

Two panels

The government gave two panels for the appointment of VCs. The panel of Dr. Praveen, Dr. Jayaprakash, and Prof. R. Sajeeb was given for the Technical University and Dr. MK Jayaraj, Dr. Rajasree, and Dr. KP Sudhir was given for the Digital Varsity.