MG University VC to take over duties of Malayalam university vice chancellor: Kerala Governor

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, as Chancellor of universities in the state, has ordered that the Vice-Chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi University (MGU) shall also perform duties of the VC of Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University.

The notification regarding the additional charge of Malayalam University given to Dr Sabu Thomas, the VC of Mahatma Gandhi University, was issued on Saturday, the Kerala Raj Bhavan said. It said that Thomas would take up the charge with immediate effect and will continue in that post till further orders.

"This is in exercise of powers conferred by sub section 9 of Section 29 of Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University Act 2013, read with 7(3) of UGC Act 2018," the Kerala Raj Bhavan said. The move comes just days after the Governor, acting as Chancellor of universities in the state, opposed the state government's decision to constitute a search committee for the Vice-Chancellor (VC) of the Malayalam University.

Khan, in a letter, had questioned the legality of constituting a search committee by the state government. The Malayalam University, named after Thunchath Ezhuthachan, considered to be the father of Malayalam language, is at Tirur in Malappuram district. The Chancellor's office had said that Khan's response came after the state government repeatedly asked to suggest his nominee to the committee.

Sources had said the state government had constituted the committee based on the University Act (Amendment) Bill, which grants it the authority to appoint vice chancellors of universities. However, that Bill is still pending with the Governor, who is yet to give his assent to make it a law. The Governor, in his letter, had said that currently there was no law granting authority to the government to form a search committee.

The term of the former VC, V Anil Kumar, of the Malayalam University had expired on February 28. According to the University Act, a search committee comprises a nominee of the Chancellor and a representative each of the government and the University Grants Commission (UGC).

However, the government had decided to constitute a five-member committee that also included nominees of the university Syndicate and the Kerala State Higher Education Council (KSHEC).