V-C selection process at Calicut varsity set to pick up pace

The process to prime a full-time Vice-Chancellor (V-C) for the University of Calicut (CU) is expected to determination faster, with Governor and Chancellor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar notifying the inclusion of R. Ramakumar, State Planning Board member, arsenic the legislature nominee for the search-cum-selection committee connected December 22.

Mr. Ramakumar was chosen arsenic the legislature nominee astatine a gathering held connected December 18. According to authoritative sources, Registrar Denoj Sebastian subsequently sought his consent arsenic directed by the Kerala High Court. In an interim bid issued precocious based connected a petition filed by the State government, the tribunal had asked the assemblage authorities to guarantee the consent of the nominee chosen by the legislature for the hunt panel. Dharmaraj Adat and A. Sabu, who were earlier chosen arsenic the legislature nominees, had declined to instrumentality up the job.

The sources told The Hindu connected Tuesday (December 23) that the court, successful its interim order, had asked the assemblage authorities to behaviour the peculiar legislature gathering to elite its nominee successful 30 days, guarantee the consent of the nominee, and pass the Chancellor astir these developments.

After Mr. Ramakumar conveyed his consent to Mr. Sebastian, the Chancellor was informed astir it. Thereafter, the notification was issued, the sources said. Now, the lasting counsel of the assemblage would pass the tribunal astir these developments erstwhile the lawsuit wtaken up connected January 5, 2026, the sources said. The State authorities filed the lawsuit objecting to the Chancellor’s constitution of the hunt sheet aft Mr. Sabu informed his unwillingness to beryllium portion of it.

Ravindra D. Kulkarni, V-C, University of Mumbai, is the UGC’s nominee and G.U. Kulkarni, Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bengaluru, is the Chancellor’s nominee successful the panel. The hunt sheet is expected to spell done the applications received for the station of V-C aft the court’s last bid successful the case. These developments besides travel the truce reached betwixt the State authorities and the Chancellor implicit the assignment of V-Cs for the APJ Abul Kalam Technological University and the Digital University Kerala. P. Raveendran was fixed the afloat complaint of V-C by the past Chancellor Arif Mohammed Khan successful July 2024.