The High Court said that the government has the power to appoint the Vice Chancellor of Kochi. Kerala Technical University (KTU) as Interim VC Dr. The High Court also said that Sisa Thomas was appointed illegally. It is up to the government to nominate who will be the VC of KTU. A division bench comprising Muhammad Mushtaq and Shobha Annamma Eepan said that VCs should be appointed only from the list provided by the government. The appointment of Siza is not canceled because it is a temporary appointment made in special circumstances and there is no doubt about the intention. At the same time, the court said that since the appointment was temporary and not an election through special procedures, there was no right to continue even for six months. The High Court verdict backfired on the governor who appointed Sisa Thomas over the list provided by the government. The order of the division bench is in the government’s appeal against the single bench order which upheld the Chancellor’s action of giving the charge of KTU VC to Sisak. According to section 13 of the KTU Act, the Chancellor can make appointments only on the recommendation of the Government. The government can appoint a three-member panel for the appointment of the VC. The division bench also stated that the list of eligible candidates should be given to the chancellor as per UGC criteria. The single bench ordered that a search and selection committee should be constituted for the appointment of KTU VC, the UGC, the Syndicate and the Chancellor should nominate representatives and the VC should be appointed within two to three months. The government filed an appeal questioning this. A division bench comprising Chief Justice S Manikumar and Justice Shaji P Chali had earlier stayed the single bench verdict to include the governor’s representative in the KTU VC appointment search committee. The stay was granted on the grounds that paragraphs 144 and 145 of Justice Devan Ramachandran’s order were inconsistent with the UGC rules. For the Government, Advocate General K Gopalakrishnakurup, Sr. Govt. Pleader v Manu also appeared. Backlash to chancellor and UDF media The High Court verdict on Kerala Technical University (KTU) VC appointment is a backlash to the pro-UDF media and Governor’s moves aimed at destroying Kerala’s higher education sector. Governor appointed Zisa Thomas as temporary VC in KTU without respecting government decision and university rules. Sisa, who was the senior joint director in the Directorate of Technology, was appointed by the Governor over the Higher Education Principal Secretary and Digital University VC appointed by the government under the Universities Act. Sisa Thomas, on the other hand, has continuously created problems, including with employees, since taking over as interim VC. The VC himself took the initiative to spread rumors against the university in collaboration with the pro-UDF media. The VC has not even given permission to inaugurate the university student union. Actions were also taken to delay the decision on issues such as examination, research, public administration and appointment of officials. Board of Governors and Syndicate meeting decisions are not signed and sent to Governor for VC’s opinion. Due to this, even the activities of the financial year could not be carried forward and the activities of the university were disrupted. The court’s decision came while waiting for the governor’s reply. The government will nominate those with 10 years of professorship following the UGC criteria for the post of temporary vice-chancellor. Read on deshabhimani.com