THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Governor has decided to seek the opinion of the UGC for the formation of search committees for the appointment of Vice Chancellors in universities. This is after the government and the governor started taking steps to form search committees on their own.
There are court orders that the government should not interfere in the appointment of VC. However, the higher education department's contention is that the governor has the authority only to appoint VCs and that the government will invite applications and form a panel. The governor had questioned the higher education department's action of sending him a letter asking for a representative to the government's search committee. Following this, the governor started the process of forming his own search committee in CUSAT, MG and Malayalam Universities. He also immediately allowed the UGC representatives to all three committees. However, there was no further action as a government representative is required in the committees as per the Varsity Act. The Governor will soon write to the UGC chairman to inform him about the search committee.
Chancellor has authority to form search committee
The governor points out that the chancellor has the authority to form the search committee. The search committee for the appointment of VC should not have any person associated with the varsity. The governor is asking how the government can form the committee when the pro-chancellor of universities is the minister of higher education. Meanwhile, the higher education department is arguing that as per the UGC Regulation of 2018, only the UGC representative is mandatory in the search committee. The higher education department also said that the regulations do not specify the number or composition of the members.
6 Varsities without VC