Vice Chairman post in Higher Education Council: Gopinath Ravindran under active consideration

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government is considering making Dr. Gopinath Ravindran, who was removed from the post of Kannur University Vice Chancellor by the Supreme Court, as the Vice-Chairman of the Higher Education Council. Although he has stated that he is re-entering the job of a professor at Jamia Millia University, bringing him as the head of the council is under active consideration by the government. The Council Vice-Chairman has the power of VC as he will be having the controlling power of all the varsities. The VC Dr Rajashree, who was sacked by the Supreme Court earlier, was made the director of technological university.

Prof Rajan Gurukal is currently the Vice President of the Council. Despite his four-year term ending in 2021, he was reappointed last September for another four years. In short, the Gurukal will get the post of vice president for 10 years. The left teacher and student organizations had expressed their displeasure to the government. The main objection is that there is a rush to implement the National Education Policy as it is. The higher education department has also assessed that the work of the vice-chancellor appointed by the first Pinarayi government is not efficient. Minister R Bindu also rejected the council leadership during the curriculum reform workshop.

Even though the examination and result announcement is in progress, the council cannot interfere. Examination reforms including conducting the examination and declaring the results on time have also not yielded results. In this situation, the government may consider appointing Gopinath Ravindran, an excellent academician, as the vice-chairman of the council.