THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government has put on hold the process to choose a new vice-chancellor for Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (KVASU).
According to highly placed sources, the panel’s meeting, scheduled on April 15 to shortlist VC probables, has been postponed indefinitely,
TNIE had reported that the selection process by a search panel without the nominee of the governor (chancellor) would pave the way for fresh confrontation between the government and the Raj Bhavan. The government’s hurried move to revive the VC appointment process was aimed at choosing an academic of its choice before the UGC Regulations 2025 - that curtails its role in the VC selection process - comes into effect.
The search committee has nominees of the UGC, KVASU, the state government, State Higher Education Council and Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR). The search committee was constituted on the basis of the University Amendment Bill that altered the composition of the search panel and removed the Chancellor’s nominee from it. Notably, President Droupadi Murmu had withheld assent to the amendment bill that was referred to her by former Governor Arif Mohammed Khan.
According to sources, the government’s U-turn was prompted by the realisation that the Governor is unlikely to appoint a person chosen by a panel without his nominee and the issue would also upset relations with the Raj Bhavan. However, Animal Husbandry Minister J Chinchu Rani, who is the Pro-Chancellor of the University, told TNIE that the decision was taken owing to certain “legal issues”.
The minister said the state government has legally challenged the President’s decision to withhold assent to the Bill that alters the composition of the search committee in state universities.
“Since the matter is sub-judice, the government thought of putting the VC selection process on hold till there is clarity on the matter,’ Chinchu Rani said.