Thiruvananthapuram: The High Court verdict in favour of the Kerala government in its ongoing tussle with the Governor is expected to be a pivotal moment in the appointment of Vice Chancellors (VCs) across the state. At present, 13 universities in Kerala do not have permanent VCs, with only the Kerala University of Health Sciences having a regular appointee.

Following the court ruling, the government is preparing to formally request the Governor to initiate the process for appointing permanent VCs across all universities. If the Governor and the government reach a consensus, the long-standing uncertainty over VC appointments could finally be resolved.

The government is expected to submit a list of names to the Governor within two days for the appointment of temporary VCs at APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU) and Digital University. This move will follow consultations with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who returned from medical treatment in the US on Tuesday.

As per the High Court’s ruling, the Governor will be required to appoint VCs from the list recommended by the government. The court has directed that permanent VCs must be appointed at both institutions within six months.

Court strikes down Governor’s temporary VC appointments

Kochi: A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court has upheld the earlier Single Bench order, ruling that the Governor’s appointment of temporary Vice Chancellors at KTU and Digital University was not legal.

The bench, comprising Justice Anil K Narendran and Justice PV Balakrishnan, ordered the Governor (who also serves as Chancellor) and the state government to act swiftly and cooperatively to ensure permanent VC appointments, keeping the interests of students and academic institutions in mind.

As a result, the temporary appointments of Dr K Sivaprasad and Dr Cissa Thomas, which had already expired on May 27, are no longer valid. The appeals filed by the Governor and the temporary appointees challenging the Single Bench order were dismissed.

The appointments in question were made unilaterally by former Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, without government consultation.

The court emphasised the crucial role of the Vice Chancellor as the administrative and academic head of the university and warned that leaving the position vacant would negatively impact students and the overall functioning of the institutions.

Provisions for temporary appointments clarified

At KTU: The court clarified that a temporary VC may be appointed for up to six months, based on the government's recommendation. Eligible appointees include the VC of another university, the Pro-Vice Chancellor of the same institution, or the Higher Education Secretary. These provisions, the court stated, are consistent with the University Act and do not conflict with UGC regulations.

At Digital University: A temporary VC can be appointed based on government recommendation, from among serving VCs of other universities or the Secretary of the Electronics and Information Technology Department. The court noted that UGC regulations do not apply to these short-term appointments.

Kerala University in crisis

Meanwhile, Kerala University continues to face administrative paralysis due to a dispute between Vice Chancellor Dr Mohanan Kunnummal and the Syndicate. The VC has not attended the university since June 30, citing security concerns and a hostile work environment.

Despite the Syndicate revoking the suspension of the Registrar, the VC has refused to accept the decision. An alternate Registrar, Mini Kappan, was appointed, but staff reportedly have not granted her access to e-files, further stalling operations.

The Vice Chancellor met Governor Rajendra Arlekar in Thrissur, demanding action to prevent the suspended Registrar from entering the university premises and requesting personal security to return to office.

The ongoing standoff has disrupted PG admissions and delayed the distribution of degree certificates, worsening the crisis.