The government has informed Governor P. Sathasivam that there is nothing wrong in the selection of Babu Sebastian as Vice Chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi University.
The Governor, who is the Chancellor of varsities, had sought the view of the government on a petition that alleged that Mr. Sebastian did not have the required qualification to be the Vice Chancellor.
In the complaint submitted to the Governor, it was alleged that the Vice Chancellor did not have the 10 years’ experience as professor prescribed by the University Grants Commission (UGC).
The State leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party had also alleged that Sheila Dikshit, the former Governor, had made the appointment in haste on August 29 though she had sent her resignation letter on August 26.
The Hindu has now learnt that the government has told the Chancellor that Mr. Sebastian’s appointment was made as per the provisions of the relevant varsity Acts and statutes. The search committee had also proposed his name to the post, it said. The government recalled that the provisions of appointment of the MG University Act did not specify 10 years’ experience as professor to be appointed as Vice Chancellor.
The Governor had sought the opinion of the government after receiving complaints that Mr. Sebastian was only an associate professor of Malayalam at St. Thomas College, Pala. The petitioner had alleged that Mr. Sebastian had been working on deputation for the last 10 years as the director of the State Institute of Education Technology, which is an institution outside the university system, before being appointed as Vice Chancellor.
Awaiting report
The government is yet to submit its views on a complaint filed before the Chancellor claiming that M.C. Dileep Kumar could not continue as the Vice Chancellor of Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit in view of the alleged vigilance case against him. The petitioner had alleged that Mr. Dileep Kumar was involved in a case of diversion of funds at Cochin College, where he had worked as a faculty.
The Governor had sought the government’s view on a petition that alleged that Babu Sebastian did not have the required qualification to be appointed VC.
