Calicut University V-C selection faces delay over search panel’s status

The process of selection of a new Vice-Chancellor (V-C) for the University of Calicut is likely to be delayed further as confusion prevails over the status of the search-cum-selection committee set up by the Chancellor for the purpose.

As per rules, the committee should have the nominees of the Chancellor, the university’s senate, and the University Grants Commission (UGC). The senate has so far nominated Dharmaraj Adat, former V-C, Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kaladi, and A. Sabu, member secretary, Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment, to the post, but both have declined to take up the job. Though Governor and Chancellor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar also set up the search-cum-selection committee soon after Mr. Sabu’s nomination and invited applications for the post of V-C, the State government challenged the procedure through a writ petition in the Kerala High Court.

In its order on November 26, the court has asked the senate to pick its nominee within 30 days. However, single judge V.G. Arun also said that the process of selection of the V-C’s post “cannot commence” without the search-cum-selection committee “being in place”. Since applications for the post had been invited, their receipt cannot be stopped, but they would be made subject to the “outcome of the writ petition”.

“It is made clear that the selection process shall commence only after the search-cum-selection committee is duly constituted,” the order said. The court also said that “as the members elected to the search-cum-selection committee earlier were unwilling to sit in the committee, it will be appropriate to obtain the consent of the elected member, before forwarding the decision of the Senate to the Chancellor for approval.” The case has been posted to January 5, 2026.

Now, it is learnt that the senate is likely to meet only after the local body polls scheduled for December 9 and 11. Even if the senate chooses another person, chances are that he/she may also turn down the nomination. Since the search-cum-selection committee cannot start functioning without the senate nominee, the process may be delayed again.

Meanwhile, academics aligned with the United Democratic Front allege that this is a strategy by the ruling CPI(M) to deliberately prolong the procedure till they reach a consensus with the Chancellor over the V-C’s post. They claim that the attempt will be to find someone who is acceptable to both the CPI(M) and the Chancellor.

Mr. Arlekar had earlier nominated Elavuthingal D. Jemmis, National Science Chair professor, Department of lnorganic and Physical Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, as his nominee and Ravindra D. Kulkarni, V-C, University of Mumbai, as the UGC’s nominee. Later, Mr. Jemmis was replaced with G.U. Kulkarni, Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bengaluru, when reports emerged that he was part of the governing body of an aided college affiliated to the university.