Thiruvananthapuram: Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, who is also the Chancellor of the universities in the State, has appointed Dr C.T. Aravindakumar, Professor in the School of Environmental Sciences and former Pro-VC, as the interim Vice Chancellor of MG University, and Dr L Sushama, Professor of Malayalam at the Sanskrit University, Kalady, to the similar post in Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University.
They will hold charge till permanent Vice Chancellors are appointed to the posts and also continue to discharge their current responsibilities. Initially, the government had recommended that the incumbent Vice Chancellor of MG University, Dr Sabu Thomas, should be reappointed to the post. However, the Governor did not budge from his position.
After the Governor asked for a panel of names, the government furnished a list consisting of the names of Dr Sabu Thomas, Dr C T Aravindakumar, and Dr K Jayachandran. When the Governor rejected it, the government dropped Dr Sabu Thomas from the list and submitted another panel of three names including Dr C Sudarshana Kumar, Professor of Physics. There is no explanation why the Governor had asked for a new panel of names if he had intended to appoint Dr Aravindakumar in the first instance. The Save University Campaign Committee had submitted a petition to the Governor against Dr Aravindakumar alleging his role in the conspiracy involving forging certificates.
Initially, the government had submitted the only name of Dr P S Radhakrishnan, Professor at MG University, to the Governor for appointment as the Vice Chancellor of Malayalam University.
After the Governor rejected the panel, a fresh panel was drawn up by including the names of Professors Dr M Krishnan Namboothiri and Dr L Sushama and submitted again. The Governor who signed the file concerning the appointments on Sunday night, left for Delhi later. He will return to Thiruvananthapuram on the night of June 12 after visiting Kolkata also.
