Kannur varsity has its own law, not valuing law of the land

KANNUR: It seems that Kannur University is having its own rules for appointing teachers, allocating colleges, and forming Boards of Studies. It does not give any value to the law of the land. If there is a controversy, it will find a way to escape. Despite being severely criticised by the courts for their misguided moves, the Vice Chancellor and his companions hide behind 'legal advice'.

Kannur varsity had made moves even before the government started moving to curtail the powers of the Governor as the Chancellor. It reorganised 72 Boards of Studies as per its own wish without the knowledge of the Governor. The High Court later quashed the encroachment on the Governor's authority. The varsity placed several ineligible people, including a minister's personal staff, officials of party newspaper and contract teachers, on the boards by sidelining qualified teachers. Even after the High Court quashed the move, the VC demanded that the same members be nominated by the Governor to the Boards of Studies. The Governor has sent back the list and ordered to suggest the eligible candidates. The Board of Studies, which is responsible for preparing the syllabus and textbooks and approving the panel of those preparing question papers, has not been functioning for a year.

Another illegal move of the varsity is its action of giving administrative assent to give affiliation to a self-financing college started by the TKC Education and Charitable Society at Padanna in Kasargod. The VC explained to the governor that he did this by exercising his special authority. Subsequently, the High Court quashed the order granted by the VC in favour of the college and the sanction given to it by the government after finding that the VC had committed an abuse of power. The TKC trust had only three and a half acres, including a paddy field, and not five acres. The VC gave sanction to the college despite the trust informing him about this.

The decision to appoint a senior advocate of the Supreme Court for the Kannur VC Dr Gopinath Ravindran in the appeal against the High Court order upholding the re-appointment of the VC also became controversial. The governor received a complaint that the decision of the syndicate chaired by the VC to appoint a lawyer using the university's money was an abuse of power.