'I will not resign', Kannur varsity VC on Kerala Guv's order

Kannur University Vice-Chancellor Gopinath Ravindran on Monday said that he will not tender his resignation as sought by Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, who had a day earlier sought the resignation of vice chancellors of nine universities in the state.

Governor Khan is also the Chancellor of Universities in the state.

"I have received the decision of Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan but I will not submit my resignation. The resignation of the VC is based either on financial irregularities or bad behaviour and neither of this has happened here. This is a fake accusation," said Kannur University Vice-Chancellor said on Monday.

Ravindran said that a case relating to his appointment as the Kannur VC is pending before the Supreme Court.

"How could the Chancellor terminate the VC when there is a case in the court?" the Kannur VC asked.

As per a order issued on Sunday the Governor has directed vice chancellors of nine universities in Kerala to tender their resignations.

Vice-Chancellors of the University of Kerala, Mahatma Gandhi University, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, Kannur University, APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University, Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, University of Calicut and Thunachath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University have been asked to resign from the post.

The Governor issued the order upholding the Supreme Court order which quashed the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University.

According to the PRO, Kerala Raj Bhavan, letters have been sent directing the Vice Chancellors of 9 Universities to tender their resignation by 11:30 am on October 24. The letters have been emailed to the VCs and registrars of the varsities concerned, the PRO, Kerala Raj Bhavan said.

"Yesterday evening I received the letter. I have been asked to submit my resignation letter on Monday by 1:30 pm. My case is in the Supreme Court and it is sub judice. I don't have any plans to resign, if he decides to terminate my services let him do it," Ravindran said.

The Kannur VC said that such an action is unprecedented in the country and has not been taken against the Vice Chancellors of any state in India.

'Upholding the verdict of Hon'ble Supreme Court in Civil Appeal Nos.7634-7635 of 2022(@ SLP(c)Nos.21108-21109 of 2021), Hon'ble Governor Shri Arif Mohammed Khan has directed Vice Chancellors of 9 varsities in Kerala to tender resignation,' Raj Bhawan said in a tweet quoting PRO of Kerala Raj Bhavan.

The Raj Bhavan said Khan also directed that the resignations reach him by 11.30 am on Monday.

This comes after the Supreme Court set aside the appointment of MS Rajasree as Vice-Chancellor of the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University, Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala.

A bench of justices M R Shah and C T Ravikumar allowed the appeal filed by Professor Sreejith PS challenging the Kerala high court order dated August 2, 2021.

The court noted that even as per Section 13(4) of the University Act, 2015, the Committee shall recommend unanimously a panel of not less than three suitable persons from amongst the eminent persons in the field of engineering sciences, which shall be placed before the Visitor/Chancellor.

As per the UGC Regulations also, the Visitor/Chancellor shall appoint the vice chancellor out of the panel of names recommended by the Search Committee.

Therefore, when only one name was recommended and the panel of names was not recommended, the Chancellor had no option to consider the names of the other candidates, the top court observed.

At a recent event, Governor Khan while pointing out the issue of the VC appointment to various universities in Kerala said the Supreme Court itself had earlier made it clear that the appointment of the vice-chancellors was the responsibility of the Governor.

"Supreme Court has made it clear appointment of vice chancellor is the only responsibility of the Chancellor. The state government has no role in it," he said.