Thiruvananthapuram:The Kerala Cabinet on Tuesday approved the proposed bill seeking to curtail the Governor's powers and functions as the Chancellor of state universities.It is likely to be introduced in the next session of the Legislative Assembly.
The composition of the search committee for appointment of Vice Chancellor (VC)will also be changed with the intended legislation.The number of members in the search committee will be increased to five from three.
The government is also considering an amendment whereby the governor has to nominate a candidate it suggests.
The current search committee,which includes nominees of the Governor,University Grants Commission(UGC)and university,suggests a panel for VC appointment to the Governor.The Governor who is the Chancellor then selects a person of his /her choice from the panel.
What spurred the new bill Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan had expressed unease with the State Government for the manner in which VCs of Calicut,Kannur and Sanskrit universities were appointed.The bill aimed at amending the constitution of the search committee has been drafted to prevent the recurrence of such an instance.
Moreover,the State government will find it difficult to appoint a candidate of its choice if the nominees of the Governor and UGC nominee are different.
Why the make-up of the panel is significant
The present three-member committee can submit a panel of three to five names.
As per the proposed new amendment if two out of three nominees suggest a new panel of candidates,the latter would be the official one or choice of the search committee.
With the upcoming amendment when both the university nominee and that of the Governor recommend the panel suggested by the government,only the person chosen by the State Government can be selected.
Even if the UGC nominee recommends a different panel the Governor cannot consider it.
A higher education reforms panel headed by Prof Shyam B Menon had recently suggested that each university should have a separate vicechancellor with the chief minister becoming a visitor'to all universities.
