THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A proposed Bill that enhances powers of the higher education minister as pro-chancellor in universities is likely to face choppy waters in the Raj Bhavan. Two earlier Bills — aimed at removing the governor from the chancellor post and to create an upper-hand for government in vice-chancellor selection — had failed to get Presidential assent.
Given this scenario, the stance to be adopted by the new Governor, Rajendra Arlekar, on the proposed University Amendment Bill, 2025, will be crucial when it comes up before him for assent.
Planned to be tabled in the current session of the legislative assembly, the Bill has provisions to make universities comply with directives issued by the pro-chancellor who is also empowered to seek explanation on various matters from the varsities. Till date, the higher education ministers have been playing more or less a titular role as pro-chancellors of varsities.
“As per university rules, the pro-chancellor shall perform the duties of the chancellor only in his absence or during his inability to act. The Amendment Bill, that gives greater powers to the pro-chancellor, can end up in legal tangles as it could be pointed out as direct government interference in the autonomy of universities,” said a source.
The provisions to curtail the emergency powers of vice-chancellors have been included reportedly to place curbs on academics who are presently discharging VC duties in various universities. Majority of the present VCs have been handpicked by the former chancellor (governor) Arif Mohammed Khan during his prolonged spat with the government.
According to sources in the higher education department, the Bill also has provisions to place curbs on the decisions taken by the vice-chancellors in emergency situations, especially when the Syndicate is not in session. The VC will have to give written explanation to the Syndicate for such decisions. The Bill proposes review of the VC’s decisions taken in emergency situations by the university tribunal.
“During instances of stand-off between the vice-chancellor and the Syndicate, the matter is usually referred to the chancellor. The Bill empowering the university tribunal to decide on the matter instead of the chancellor indirectly curtails the role of the latter,” pointed out a former Raj Bhavan official.
Most of the VCs-in charge have been on a collision course with Left-dominated Syndicates and also the government ever since they assumed charge. The Bill is widely seen as the government’s panacea to resolve the current standoff in varsities that has led to an administrative crisis.