Kerala Governor removes Sanskrit University vice chancellor K K Geethakumary

KOCHI: Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Thursday removed the Vice Chancellor of Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit at Kalady here. Arlekar, who is also the Chancellor of state universities, removed K K Geethakumary. Ciza Thomas, Vice Chancellor of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University, has been given additional charge of Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit until further orders.

However, a notification issued by Kerala Raj Bhavan did not specify the reason behind relieving Geethakumary. Multiple attempts to contact the university spokesperson for a response were unsuccessful.

Last month, the Governor froze the university syndicate's decision to declare a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) student failed as passed. A student named A Kalesh, who had failed the BFA course in 2005, was later admitted to the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) programme, which he completed in 2023.

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The syndicate had decided to grant a BFA degree to Kalesh, an SFI activist, treating it as a special case. However, the Save University Campaign Committee (SUCC) lodged a complaint with the government regarding the issue.

SUCC complaint against VC

The SUCC had also lodged a complaint with the Governor against the Vice Chancellor, alleging that she violated an order freezing the recruitment of assistant professors and had decided to appoint faculty members ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.

Following the complaint, Arlekar stopped faculty appointments in the university last month. There were also complaints filed against the Vice-Chancellor for allotting land for a cricket stadium in violation of the rules.