THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a fresh bid to resolve the administrative stalemate in APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU), Vice Chancellor K Sivaprasad has issued directions to convene a meeting of the varsity Syndicate on September 2. The meeting will discuss important academic and administrative matters and will also take up the varsity’s budget for the current fiscal.
According to university sources, a meeting of the statutory finance committee will also be held, prior to the Syndicate meeting, on September 1. The secretaries of higher education and finance departments are members of the committee.
The Vice Chancellor’s move to convene the Syndicate meeting was on the directions of the Supreme Court that is presently hearing a petition filed by him against the continued absence of government representatives in the varsity’s apex body. Owing to the non-attendance of the government secretaries, syndicate meetings had to be called off due to lack of quorum.
“Due to the standoff, the KTU budget has not been passed affecting the day to day functioning of the varsity and also the disbursal of salary and pension to staff since July,” said a top university official.
As many as four Syndicate meetings had to be called off due to the standofff between the Vice Chancellor and the Left-dominated Syndicate in KTU. The first such meeting on January 16 had ended in a stalemate after the VC walked out of the meeting. This was after the Left-affiliated Syndicate members included an item in the agenda without his concurrence.
When the Syndicate meeting was held on March 14, MLAs and government secretaries kept away from it on the grounds that the items listed in the agenda were “sub judice”. Close to 100 items in the meeting’s agenda, including development works of the proposed varsity headquarters in Vilappilsala, could not be discussed.
Two more attempts to conduct the meeting of the Syndicate were unsuccessful owing to the continued standoff, prompting the Vice Chancellor to approach the High Court. The Vice Chancellor sought directions to ensure the participation of senior government officials in the Syndicate meeting of the University, arguing that their repeated absence had led to a financial and administrative deadlock
With no relief from the High Court, Sivaprasad approached the Supreme Court highlighting the stalemate. The apex court orally directed that steps be taken to end the administrative stalemate.
KU SYNDICATE TO MEET TOO
T’PURAM: Kerala University VC Dr Mohanan Kunnumal has issued directions to convene a meeting of the university Syndicate on September 2. The meeting is being convened in accordance with the university rules which stipulate convening the Syndicate meeting once every 60 days.
The previous Syndicate meeting chaired by VC-in-charge Ciza Thomas on July 6 had ended in a deadlock mainly over the suspension of K S Anil Kumar from the post of Registrar.
Even though Ciza called off the meeting, the pro-Left Syndicate members continued with it and resolved that the suspension of Anil Kumar has been revoked. The Vice Chancellor, who refused to endorse the decision of an “unauthorised meeting” of the Syndicate gave the charge of Registrar to another official. Owing to the possibility of protests by pro-Left Syndicate members and student unions, the university has informed the police about additional security arrangements required.