THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the Supreme Court ruling that the Chancellor's decision on the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor is final, hurdles have been removed for the appointment of VCs in nine universities in Kerala.

In the order dismissing the Kannur VC, the Supreme Court has clarified that the Chancellor is not just a title but has an important responsibility. The governor tried several times to form search committees for the appointment of the VC, but the government blocked him by not providing the Senate representatives. Now the governor can form the search committee and proceed with the appointment.

The search committee expansion bill brought by the government to handle VC appointments has been sent to the President without the Governor's signature. There are no VCs in Kerala, MG, CUSAT, Malayalam, Agriculture, Fisheries, Law, Technology and Kannur universities. The governor has been trying to appoint VCs for more than a year.

The search committee should consist of Chancellor, UGC, Senate or Syndicate representatives. The problem is that the government is not assigning a Senate representative to the search committee everywhere. Despite the UGC giving representatives to the search committees of the three universities, the government did not act. The crisis that started in October last year was resolved by the Supreme Court order.

• The government tried to form a search committee for the appointment of the Malayalam VC, but the governor blocked it.
• The Kerala High Court quashed the search committee formed by the Governor without a Senate representative.
• The government asked the governor to form a search committee in Malayalam varsity and give a representative, but the governor did not relent.

Senate representatives can be asked for

According to the University Act, a Senate representative is mandatory in the search committees. The Senate is not ready to give a representative. With the order of the Supreme Court, the Governor can call for a Senate representative.

The government argued that the governor only has the power to appoint the VC and it is the government that should invite applications and form the panel. This argument fell apart with the Supreme Court ruling that the Chancellor's decision was final.

'It is illegal to act on the basis of someone else's interest or command. There is a definite separation in law between the Chancellor and the Government.

-Supreme Court order