VC case in High Court today; governor only has power to appoint vice-chancellor, says government

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government has told the High Court that the governor only has the power to appoint the vice-chancellor from the panel provided by the government's search committee. The position of the governor is that the chancellor, who is the appointing authority, has the authority to form the search committee and the government has no role. With this, the war between the governor and the government intensified again.

The government's contention is that the governor has no authority to form a search committee. The President has similar powers in Central Universities. One person from the panel of the five-member search committee of the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development is appointed by the visiting President.

While the High Court is hearing the plea seeking the immediate appointment of VCs today, the government has constituted a five-member search committee in the veterinary varsity as well. This is after interpreting that under Article 162 of the Constitution, the appointment of the VC is the prerogative of the government. The members are one representative each from UGC, ICAR, Higher Education Council, Veterinary University Management Council and Govt. They have not been decided. The term of suspended VC MR Sashindranath will end on 23rd.

As per the Veterinary University Act, the VC is to be appointed by the Chancellor who is the Governor. A three-member search committee with representatives from the Chancellor, the Government and ICAR is required. The committee was formed by the government under the UGC rules to overcome this. Neither the Varsity Act nor the UGC Regulations specify who should form the Search Committee. It was in that loophole that the government formed the search committee. As per UGC rules, one member of the search committee should be a representative of the UGC Chairman. Members should be higher education professionals. However, the government has not complied with the condition that people related to the university or the government should not be on the committee.

Objectives of the government

1. Delay the appointment of the VC until the end of the governor's term in September
2. If the Governor is omitted, favourable persons may be appointed as members of the Search Committee
3. The government will have a majority in the five-member committee.
4. With that strength, those who are needed can be made VC.
5. Governor's Committees without Varsity representatives can be nullified

Setbacks for loopholes

• The UGC rule is that people connected with the government should not be on the committee. Three members of the government's committee are related to the government.
• The Supreme Court has ruled that the Chancellor is not a mere title and the decision of the Chancellor on the appointment of the VC is final.