The Kerala Governor and the State Government have reached an agreement on the appointment of Vice Chancellors (VCs) for two major state universities. This resolution, confirmed to the Supreme Court on Thursday , concludes a protracted dispute over key leadership roles in higher education.
Attorney General R Venkataramani , representing the Governor, informed a Supreme Court bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and K V Viswanathan about the consensus. The agreement facilitates the appointments for the A P J Abdul Kalam Technological University and the Kerala University of Digital Sciences , both of which had been operating without permanent heads.
Supreme Court’s Decisive Intervention
The Supreme Court previously emphasized the vital importance of a Vice Chancellor, stating that a university cannot effectively function without this leadership role. The court voiced significant concern over the two prominent universities remaining “ruler-less” due to the ongoing disagreement between the Governor and the state administration regarding VC selections.
“This case illustrates how timely and decisive intervention can go a long way in protecting rights of citizens,” the bench observed. Recognizing the urgency, the court intervened to safeguard the interests of all stakeholders, particularly students and faculty. It appointed a committee, led by former Supreme Court Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia , entrusting it with the critical task of recommending names for the vacant VC positions.
The court expressed satisfaction that the Chancellor and the government jointly reported the successful appointment of the VCs. The bench conveyed its appreciation to Justice Dhulia for his committee’s diligent efforts and to all authorities who aided the court in achieving this resolution, gracefully bringing down the curtains on this saga.
The Prolonged Deadlock
The dispute centered on the selection process for Vice Chancellors and involved Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Governor-cum-Chancellor Rajendra Arlekar . This lack of consensus led to a series of interventions by the Supreme Court to resolve the administrative paralysis at the universities.
Key Milestones in the Resolution Process:
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July 30: The Supreme Court first urged both the Kerala government and the Attorney General (representing the Governor) to establish a harmonious mechanism to resolve the escalating dispute over VC appointments.
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August 18: To break the ongoing impasse, the apex court formally appointed former Supreme Court Judge Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia to lead a panel. This panel’s primary function was to shortlist suitable candidates for the Vice-Chancellor roles.
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September 2: The Kerala Governor lodged a petition with the Supreme Court, advocating for the exclusion of Chief Minister Vijayan from the VC selection process. The Governor asserted that the foundational documents of neither university outlined a role for the Chief Minister in these appointments.
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November 28: The Supreme Court took serious exception to the Governor, acting as Chancellor, for not reviewing the crucial report submitted by the Dhulia Committee on VC appointments. The court underscored the report’s significance, calling it “not just an ordinary piece of paper.”
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December 11: Faced with a continued deadlock, the Supreme Court specifically directed the Justice Dhulia-led committee to recommend one definitive name for the Vice Chancellor position at each of the two technical universities.
The current agreement marks a positive conclusion to this long-running administrative and legal challenge. The Supreme Court acknowledged the collaborative efforts of the Attorney General, senior advocate Jaideep Gupta , and their teams for their role in facilitating this outcome, ensuring the stable leadership of these educational institutions.