Thiruvananthapuram: The Save University Campaign Committee (SUCC) has urged Governor Rajendra Arlekar to review the controversial nominations he made to Mahatma Gandhi University’s (MGU) board of studies and senate in his capacity as the chancellor. Arlekar had nominated 18 individuals of his choice after appointing members to the board of studies, allegedly overlooking academic merit.
SUCC Raises Concerns Over Merit
“The chancellor’s appointments and nominations at MGU are not welcome. The governor was made the chancellor of universities by the act passed in the assembly in good faith that he would lead universities by upholding merit. It is up to the governor to retain that faith,” said SUCC in a statement.
No one will question his merit-based university nominations. On the contrary, the feeling that he is yielding to the wishes of certain external centres by rejecting merit will not benefit the higher education sector. When the CPM tried to install unqualified persons at the helm of universities during the previous government’s tenure, SUCC had opposed it, it added.
Previous Governors Praised
The stances taken at that time by then Governor A.M. Khan and later by the current governor were highly beneficial to universities. But current nominations at MGU are not justified, said SUCC.
Petition Submitted
It submitted a petition to Arlekar demanding that the stance of destroying universities through conflict between the government and the governor should stop and the nominations to MGU senate should be reviewed.
