Kochi: The appointment of a vice-chancellor at Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (KVASU) has been indefinitely delayed for over a year now with the State Government and Governor Justice P. Sathasivam remaining at loggerheads and the issue being dragged to court. Currently secretary, animal husbandry and dairy development department, Anil X, is holding the charge as the VC.
Three persons were shortlisted by the search committee appointed by the previous government for the VC’s post in December 2015. They were Dr P.P. Balakrishnan, former dean, veterinary college, Pookkodu; Dr E. Nanu, former dean, veterinary college, Mannuthy and Dr Prabhakaran, former VC, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University. The previous government selected Dr Balakrishnan to the post and conveyed it to the governor who is the Chancellor of the university.
Meanwhile the Assembly elections were declared and the election code of conduct came into force following which the process was frozen. Meanwhile, a complaint was received by the Governor stating that Dr Balakrishnan did not have the required 10 years experience as professor to be qualified as per UGC stipulations to the VC post while Dr Nanu faced vigilance cases.
Following this the Governor wrote to the government to select the remaining one from the panel to the post. However, the new government informed the Governor that due to the change of government, a new search committee would identify a fresh panel of probable VCs. This was not accepted by the Governor.
Simultaneously, the government communication to the Governor was challenged by Dr Balakrishnan in the Kerala High Court stating that political change could not decide selection of VCs. The court also ruled that academic considerations and quality should only be factored into the VC selection process and political change should not be a factor to decide it.
Because of this logjam, the varsity has remained without a full-time VC now. Several developmental processes initiated during the five years till 2015 have been affected.
