THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Even as the rules specify that the term of the Vice-Chancellor in charge of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU) should not exceed “six months in the aggregate,” the government seems to be firmly backing incumbent Saji Gopinath’s continuance in the post. This is despite his predecessor Ciza Thomas already completing most of the six-month term as VC-in-charge.
According to the KTU Act, when the vacancy of the Vice-Chancellor arises, the Chancellor can appoint the Vice-Chancellor of another university or the Pro-Vice-Chancellor of KTU or the Higher Education Secretary to the post. The Act also says that such temporary appointment should be for a period “not exceeding six months in the aggregate.”
The appointment of a temporary VC in KTU was necessitated after the Supreme Court annulled the appointment of Rajasree M S as Vice-Chancellor in October last year. Though the government recommended that Digital University Vice-Chancellor Saji Gopinath be given additional charge of KTU VC, Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, in his capacity as chancellor, turned down the proposal.
The governor instead appointed Ciza Thomas, a senior joint director in the Directorate of Technical Education, to the post in November last year. Though Ciza had a six-month tenure, she stepped down as VC in charge after nearly five months following her retirement from service on March 31. The governor then appointed Gopinath to the post on April 1 based on the recommendation of the government.
The Save University Campaign Committee (SUCC), a whistleblowers’ group, had petitioned the governor stating that Gopinath cannot continue as Vice-Chancellor in charge of KTU beyond May 4 as six months would have elapsed since the varsity was functioning without a permanent VC. The SUCC also contended that the validity of the degree certificates, signed by Gopinath could be legally challenged.
“The six-months in aggregate provision in the Act would have been applicable if another vice-chancellor or the Higher Education Secretary or the varsity’s Pro-VC was Gopinath’s predecessor as VC-in charge. However, the person entrusted with the task was Ciza Thomas who did not fall under any of these categories,” said a senior official of the higher education department.
The official said the government does not see any legal issues in Gopinath completing his six-month term that began on April 1. Saji Gopinath told TNIE that he was discharging his duties as KTU VC-in-charge as entrusted by the Chancellor. “I have been asked to assume the responsibility till further orders and no provision of the University Act has been violated,” he said.
Gopinath added that there were no technical issues in signing the degree certificates as VC-in-charge. Meanwhile, KTU is among the seven state universities without a permanent Vice-Chancellor. With MG University Vice-Chancellor Sabu Thomas’ term ending by the end of May, the number would rise to eight.