In a bold move to uphold the standards of higher education, Kerala Governor Dr Arif Mohammed Khan announced the dismissal of two Vice Chancellors, MK Jayaraj of Calicut University and MV Narayanan of Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady, on March 7. The reason behind the decision was cited as the violation of University Grants Commission (UGC) norms in the appointments made by the ousted VCs.
The UGC guidelines stipulate that members of the Search Panel should be individuals of eminence in the field of higher education and must not have any affiliations with the university or its affiliated colleges. The Chief Secretary was notably kept away from the committee due to their status as a Civil Service Officer.
The controversy arose when only one person was recommended for the position of Vice Chancellor at Sanskrit University, a clear breach of UGC guidelines that require the selection to be made from a panel of three to five names. Governor Khan, in his capacity as the Chancellor of the universities, called Vice Chancellors of four universities for a hearing on February 25, in compliance with the High Court directives. Prior to the hearing, P.M. Mubarak Pasha, the VC of Sree Narayana Guru Open University, preemptively tendered his resignation.
During the hearings, Saji Gopinath, VC of the Digital University, met with the Governor to present his version, while two others engaged lawyers to argue their cases. UGC representatives maintained that the appointments of all three VCs were invalid as they were in violation of UGC norms. However, the State government contended that the VCs were appointed based on laws passed by the Kerala Legislative Assembly.
Governor Khan’s decisive action was empowered by the decisions of Rashtrapati, who, on March 5, rejected Bills passed by the Kerala Legislative Assembly, including the Kerala University Laws [Amendment No. 2] (Divesting Governor from the position of Chancellor of Universities) Bill, 2022, University Law Amendment Bill, 2022 (Expansion of Search Committee for the Appointment of Vice Chancellor), and The University Law Amendment Bill, 201 (Appellate Tribunal issue and other amendments to Technological University and others).
The Governor’s firm stance aligns with his commitment to cleansing the realm of higher education in the state. He has echoed the sentiments of many concerned citizens and genuine academicians who believe that university education in the state is plagued by nepotism and backdoor entries under the ruling CPM-led Left Democratic Front regime. The examination system has become an arduous process only for honest students, with allegations of a separate ‘rule book’ for SFI workers, the student wing of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).
Instances of plagiarism and serious errors have turned some PhD theses into laughing stocks, yet the authors of these theses secure coveted positions. This has given rise to the perception that being associated with the SFI ensures favourable academic outcomes. Governor Khan’s unwavering stance against these issues is seen as a silver lining in the otherwise cloudy landscape of higher education in Kerala.
As the dismissed VCs are given a ten-day notice to vacate their positions, the state awaits further developments in the aftermath of Governor Khan’s bold intervention. The move underscores the importance of upholding academic integrity and adhering to established norms, signalling a commitment to restoring the credibility and quality of higher education institutions in Kerala.
