KANNUR: Refusing to be drawn into controversies, Kannur University Vice-Chancellor Gopinath Raveendran said that he was reappointed by Governor Arif Mohammad Khan and those who appointed him should reply to the row.
“Whether my reappointment was a political one should be clarified by those who had appointed me. This may be the first instance in Kerala, but such reappointments have taken place before in Gujarat and New Delhi,” Gopinath told reporters in Kannur. I have taken charge as I have received the appointment order from Governor’s office,” said Gopinath. Since the issue is under the consideration of the court, he doesn’t want to comment more on the subject, he said.
This is the first time in the state that a VC was reappointed after the completion of one term. Gopinath’s term had ended on November 22. University senate member Premachandran Keezhoth and academic council member Dr. Shino P Jose had filed a petition in High Court against the reappointment citing that it violated the University Act. Kerala Private College Teachers Association had also pointed out that those above the age of 60 years are ineligible to be appointed as VC as per the Act.
They alleged the state government had given Gopinath a second term as a gift for approving the appointment of Priya Varghese as an associate professor in the Malayalam department, violating UGC norms. Priya is the wife chief minister’s private secretary K K Ragesh.