The influence of caste and political equations in selections to key academic posts could mean that the Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) is likely to have a new vice chancellor who enjoys the support of the ruling Congress party and belongs to the Nair community.
Chances of the Congress-Nair combo candidate assuming the vice chancellor’s position emerged after the Governor approved the selection of Babu Sebastian, a nominee of the Kerala Congress, as the new vice chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi University on Saturday.
Senior syndicate members at Cusat told The Hindu that the selection of a Christian-Kerala Congress nominee as the vice chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi University paved the way for the nomination of a Congress supported vice chancellor for Cusat.
With the varsity syndicate meet held on Saturday approving the name of Congress ‘I’ faction MLA Hibi Eden as the syndicate nominee in the search committee for the vice chancellor, the possibility of a vice chancellor candidate having the support of the Congress ‘I’ group has also strengthened.
The Hindu has reliably learnt that a former registrar and a senior faculty member at the Department of Atmospheric Sciences are in the race for the vice chancellor’s seat.
A senior syndicate member said there was no chance for a Christian candidate assuming charge as vice chancellor, with the appointment of Babu Sebastian as Mahatma Gandhi University’s vice chancellor.
A decision by the Cusat syndicate recommending the names of two Christian candidates to the post of the varsity’s new registrar has also closed the doors before a Christian candidate taking up the vice chancellor’s role. S. David Peter, director of International Relations and Academic Admissions (IRAA), and Thomas Kurian, professor, Department of Polymer Chemistry, are the names being considered for the post of new Cusat registrar.
