Kerala Governor Moves Supreme Court to Exclude CM from Vice-Chancellor Selection Process
Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar has approached the Supreme Court seeking to exclude the State Chief Minister from the selection process of Vice-Chancellors (V-Cs) for state-run universities. The Governor argues that according to University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations, the Chancellor (Governor) has the sole prerogative to select V-Cs from a list submitted by a search committee. He contends that the State Universities Act does not envisage a role for the CM and that political interference undermines the independence and autonomy of higher education institutions.
Key Points
- The Governor claims UGC regulations override state laws regarding university appointments.
- The petition seeks to implead the UGC to clarify the mandatory requirement of its nominees in search panels.
- The Governor argues that as Chancellor, he is not expected to act on the advice of the Cabinet for university appointments.
- The state government maintains that the Governor's plea to exclude the CM is 'childish' and harmful to university consensus.
Exam Facts
- The case involves the A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technological University and Digital University Kerala.
- UGC regulations mandate that search committee members be persons of eminence in higher education.
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