Kerala Governor Directs Removal of University Vice-Chancellors Over UGC Violations

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, as Chancellor of universities in the state, has directed the Vice-Chancellors of the University of Calicut and Sree Sankaracharya at the University of Sanskrit to vacate their posts, an official source said on Thursday. The two VCs were asked to vacate their posts as their appointments were allegedly found to be in violation of the regulations of the University Grants Commission (UGC), the source said.

Hence, their appointments have been treated as void ab initio in light of the Supreme Court judgments on the issue of appointment of VCs, the source added. However, the Governor's order cannot be implemented for another 10 days due to a Kerala High Court direction, the source further said. The Kerala High Court had in January this year asked the Chancellor to give a hearing to the VCs within six weeks and directed that any decision taken subsequently not be implemented for 10 days, the source said.

The high court order came on the pleas moved by several VCs who were issued show cause notices by the governor asking why they should not be removed from their posts as their appointments were allegedly in violation of the UGC norms. The show cause notices were issued following the Supreme Court's October 2022 decision quashing the appointment of the VC of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University on the ground that it was contrary to UGC regulations.