THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, in his capacity as chancellor of state universities, has given additional charge of vice-chancellor of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU) to Digital University VC Saji Gopinath.
According to an order issued by the Raj Bhavan, Saji will hold the additional responsibility with effect from April 1, pending the appointment of a regular vice-chancellor. Saji was given charge after incumbent V C Ciza Thomas retired from government service on March 31.
Ironically, Saji was among the 11 vice-chancellors on whom Khan had served show-cause notice for removal because their selection was not as per UGC norms.
The governor had also opposed handing over the VC charge to Saji when the government first recommended his name.
This was after M S Rajasree had to step down from the VC post following an adverse Supreme Court verdict.
Khan instead gave additional charge of vice-chancellor to Ciza Thomas, a senior joint director in the directorate of technical education.
Ciza, who took up the task allegedly without seeking the government’s permission, was served a charge memo hours before her retirement. The memo said her decision to accept the appointment was in violation of the service rules and amounted to indiscipline.