THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : Babu Sebastian, currently the director of State Institute of Educational Technology, has been appointed Vice-Chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi University.
The order appointing Sebastian as Vice-Chancellor was signed by Governor Sheila Dikshit, who is the Chancellor of the University on Saturday, said a senior official of the Raj Bhavan. Sebastian is also the Executive Director of IT@School Project and Director of Victers educational channel. Sebastian has 19 years’ degree-level teaching experience in St. Thomas College, Pala, besides 10 years and eight months’ experience as Director, State Institute of Educational Technology and 17 years’ experience as a University Research guide in MG University. Sebastian’s name was among the three names shortlisted by the selection panel. The other nominees were V Prasannakumar of Kerala University and Sabu Thomas, a nanotechnology expert.
“Ensuring timely conduct of examinations and publication of results within the prescribed time schedule will be my priority. Converting the evaluation and administrative mechanism in the University in tune with the latest global trends in technology will also be my focus,” Sebastian told Express.
Sebastian is understood to have received the strong backing of Kerala Congress (Mani), a factor which reportedly went in his favour. Countering the argument that he did not have 10 years’ minimum experience as professor in a University system, Sebastian said that it was his administrative experience in an academic institution that was given more weightage by the selection panel.
According to UGC norms, a Vice-Chancellor should be a distinguished academician with a minimum of 10 years’ experience as professor in a University system or a person with 10 years’ experience in an equivalent position in a reputed research level or academic administrative organisation.