A Syndicate meeting of the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) held on Saturday, February 17 decided to propose R. Ramakumar, Professor at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai, as its nominee to the search-cum-selection committee for the appointment of new Vice-Chancellor (V-C).
His name was the unanimous choice at the meeting. It will be submitted before Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, who is the Chancellor of State Universities, on Monday, February 19. MLAs C. K. Asha and M. Vijin, who are members of the Syndicate, attended the meet.
Prof. Ramakumar is the Professor at the School of Development Studies at TISS from April 2013. He is also a non-ministerial member of the State Planning Board from September 2016. As per the norms, the Syndicate has to propose the name of an academician of repute as its nominee to the search-cum-selection committee for the appointment of Vice-Chancellor.
Ultimatum
The Syndicate nominee was decided on Saturday after Mr. Khan had issued an ultimatum on January 29 asking the Vice-Chancellors of eight varsities to convene Syndicate meetings and propose the name of a person of eminence in the sphere of higher education. The Vice-Chancellors were told to submit the name within 15 days, failing which further steps will be taken for the constitution of the committee, according to a letter sent by the office of the Governor to the Vice-Chancellors.
Though the university authorities had sought legal counsel in view of the pending court cases related to the appointment of Vice-Chancellors, a clear picture emerged by Friday evening and it was decided to propose the Syndicate’s nominee to the selection panel. The general council of the Kerala Agricultural University had earlier rejected the Governor’s directive to propose its nominee. A meeting of the senate at the University of Kerala on Friday, February 16, had witnessed stormy scenes over proposing its nominee to the search-cum-selection committee for the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor.
