Kerala Governor seeks resignation of vice-chancellors of 9 state universities

The Supreme Court invalidated the appointment of the vice-chancellor of the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University for breaking University Grants Commission (UGC) rules, and as a result, the vice-chancellors of nine universities in Kerala have been ordered to resign by tomorrow, October 24, 2022. The order was given by Arif Mohammed Khan, the governor of Kerala. In addition to the University of Kerala, the Mahatma Gandhi University, the Cochin University of Science and Technology, the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, the University of Calicut, the Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, and the Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University, Khan has called on the vice-chancellors of those institutions to resign.

According to a tweet from Kerala Raj Bhavan, “Hon’ble Governor Shri Arif Mohammed Khan has directed Vice Chancellors of 9 Universities in Kerala (see image) to tender resignation: PRO, KeralaRajBhavan.” This follows the Supreme Court’s ruling in Civil Appeal Nos. 7634 and 7635 of 2022 (@ SLP(c)Nos. 21108 and 21109 of 2021).

“Letters have been sent ordering the vice-chancellors of nine universities in Kerala to submit their resignations by 11:30 a.m. on October 24, 2022. PRO, Kerala Raj Bhavan sent the letter to the involved universities’ vice-chancellors and registrars through email, it continued.

The appointment of Dr. Rajasree M. S. as vice chancellor of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University was quashed by the top court because, according to the UGC, the search committee established by the state should have recommended a panel of at least three qualified individuals among notable individuals in the field of engineering science to the chancellor instead of sending just one name. Khan recently wrote the vice chancellor of Kerala University requesting that the university’s 15 senators be dismissed with immediate effect. The Governor gave notice of the dismissal starting on October 15 because the VC did not take any action to further the communication.