THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In an apparent bid to delay the selection of a new vice-chancellor in the University of Kerala, the varsity’s LDF-dominated Senate has reportedly decided to defer choosing its nominee to the search-cum-selection committee constituted for the purpose.
Though a meeting of the Senate is scheduled on Saturday, sources told TNIE that only two items have been listed on the agenda. While one relates to the election of student representative to the Syndicate, another pertains to sanctioning of a course for an affiliated college. “The selection of Senate nominee to the search-cum-selection committee is not on the agenda,” confirmed a senate member.
Earlier, Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, in his capacity as chancellor of state universities, had gone ahead and constituted the search-cum-selection committee without the Senate nominee. The swift move by the Raj Bhavan came amid reports that the government was planning to curtail the role of the chancellor in the appointment of vice-chancellors
According to the Kerala University Act, a three-member committee, comprising a nominee of the chancellor, a nominee of the University Grants Commission (UGC) and a nominee of the university Senate, should be constituted to make recommendations for the appointment of a new vice-chancellor.
“The third member of the committee – the nominee of the Senate of the University of Kerala – shall be included as and when the same is received from the university,” the notification issued by the Raj Bhavan had said. It added that the committee should make its recommendations within three months. Incumbent Vice-Chancellor V P Mahadevan Pillai’s term ends in October this year and the notification was issued to complete the selection process with the time-frame.
It is reliably learnt that the Senate of the University of Kerala had met in July and chose planning board chairperson V K Ramachandran as its nominee in the search committee. However, in view of the LDF government’s moves to curtail the VC’s role in vice-chancellor selection, the Senate decided not to convey its decision to the Raj Bhavan. By deferring its decision indefinitely, the Senate hopes the term of the present selection committee would lapse.