'Will quit as Chancellor': Kerala Governor irate at state of higher education

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 10 (IANS) A displeased Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan told Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan that if things in the state's higher education sector are going like this, he will quit from the post of Chancellor of the state varsities.

According to a top source in the know of things, Khan's letter to Vijayan was written on Monday and he has even gone to the extent of asking the Chief Minister to amend the rules and take over as Chancellor.

The Governor has cited the statements of eminent personalities like Bharat Ratna awardee CNR Rao and historian K.N.Panikkar on why Kerala is lagging behind in the education sector.

"Khan is deeply upset in the manner in which appointments of Vice-Chancellors are being made, especially when the retiring Vice Chancellor of the Kannur University, Gopinath Raveendran was given a four year extension, last month. Likewise when a panel of candidates to be appointed to another University was asked, the Kerala government sent him a list with just one name," said a source.

Incidentally it was the first time that a Vice Chancellor in the state was given an extension after attaining superannuation and it came at a time when a controversy broke out that rules were violated in appointing the wife of Vijayan's Secretary to a teaching post at Kannur University.

Khan, ever since he took over as the Governor, has won the hearts of many in the state and is now often referred to as the 'People's Governor'.

He undertook a fast against giving and taking dowry and as Chancellor, directed all students to take a pledge at the time of convocation that they should give a declaration which says they will not take or give dowry.