KOCHI: The tenure of the panel to shortlist candidates for selecting the next vice chancellor of Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (Kufos) has been extended by two more months to February 15.
The tenure of the panel comprising V K Ramachandran, vice-chairman, Planning Board, J Prabhash, former pro vice chancellor of Kerala University, and Joykrushna Jena, deputy director, Fisheries Science Division, had ended on December 15. “A letter has been issued from the Governor’s office extending the tenure of the selection panel by two months,” a source said.
Due to the election code of conduct, the panel could not finalise the candidates, resulting in the extension of its tenure.From among the initial set of nine names, five persons are in the running for the coveted post. They are Sundareshan Pillai of New Delhi-based National Institute of Science Communication And Information Resources (CSIR-NISCAIR), K K Vijayan of Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (CIBA), M C Subhash Peter from the zoology department of the University of Kerala, Abdulla Bava, director, research and development, Advanced Technology Institute in Japan and Riji John, dean of fisheries department at Kufos.
Out of the five Abdulla Bava, Subhash Peter and Riji John have age in their advantage and can serve the full-term of five years. The age limit for Kufos VC is 65 or 5 years, whichever is earlier. Pillai is nearing 63, while Vijayan is 62, and could serve only a maximum of three years.The selection panel to choose the Kufos VC was formed on September 16, and the three months’ deadline for the panel expired on December 15.