'Governor should ask person who gave me job, not me': Kannur VC unsure how to respond to show-cause notice

KANNUR: After Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan issued a show cause notice to Kannur University Vice-Chancellor Dr. Gopinath Ravindran, he responded that the Governor should instead seek the cause from the person who gave him the job. Gopinath Ravindran said that he was not even in Kerala when his name was suggested for the appointment of Vice-Chancellor. The Kannur VC also alleged that the governor has some other political motive behind the crisis in the higher education sector by taking such action against all the VCs in Kerala.

"I don't understand why the governor gave me a show cause notice. How do I answer why I was appointed? The showcase should be given by the people who appointed me. I did not hire myself. This should be asked of the person who gave me the job. I was not in Kerala when my name was mentioned in the VC appointment."

I will be here as Vice-Chancellor until November 3. UGC says about the appointment of VCs but there is no mention on how one should be dismissed. It is in the Universities Act of each state. Under that Act, a committee consisting of two retired judges of the High Court or the Supreme Court is required to report to the Chancellor to inquire into the reply we give. The chancellor has to take action based on that report.

I think there is some other political objective by taking such action against all the VCs in Kerala and putting the higher education sector in crisis.", Gopinathan said.