Overview

• The Supreme Court directed both the Governor and the State government on August 13 to submit four nominees each by August 14 for a panel to shortlist permanent vice-chancellors at two Kerala universities.
• The five-member search committee will include four members selected from the lists provided by the parties and a fifth member nominated by the University Grants Commission.
• Kerala’s petition seeks to annul the Governor’s August 1 notification reappointing Dr. K. Sivaprasad as interim vice-chancellor of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University for bypassing the procedure under Section 13(7) of the university Act.
• Counsel for both sides invoked Sections 13(7) and 11(10) of the Technological University Act and the Digital University Act to dispute the Chancellor’s authority to make interim appointments without the State’s recommendation.
• The Supreme Court scheduled the next hearing for August 18 to finalise the search committee’s composition and move forward with filling the regular vice-chancellor posts.