The farsighted recommendations of the M. Anandakrishnan Committee set up by the Kerala State Higher Education Council in 2009 to review the Acts of Universities of Kerala assume significance amidst the escalating rift between Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan and the Left front government over the appointment of Vice Chancellors.
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A key proposal of the committee to create statutory structures that would distance the Governor [as Chancellor] and Minister for Higher Education [as Pro-Chancellor] from the day-to-day administration of the universities had no takers going by its final report submitted in 2011.
“Though the committee was initially of the view that institutional structures should be created distancing the Chancellor/Pro-Chancellor from day-to-day administration of the universities, the committee has dropped the proposal in view of the overwhelming response from the stakeholders, who expressed the view that the experience of the State does not warrant the creation of such structures, as instances of interference by the Chancellor/Pro-Chancellor in the day-to-day administration of the universities are unknown in the State. The Committee therefore suggests that existing provisions may continue,” it said.
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In its draft report, the committee had recommended that the Governor might exercise his powers through a Chancellor, who could be an academic of national repute. The Minister in charge of [Higher] Education, who is also Chairman of the State Council for Higher Education, could communicate the views of the government to the universities through the Vice-Chairman of the Kerala State Higher Education Council (KSHEC).
The existing provision that the Minister in-charge of [Higher] Education should exercise all the powers and perform all the functions of the Chancellor in the absence of the Chancellor or during his inability was redundant, it said.
The committee had also recommended immediate incorporation of UGC Regulations, 2010 in the university Acts/Statutes/Regulations. “The revised UGC regulations are non-negotiable and legally binding on every university and every institution including affiliated colleges recognised by the University Grants Commission (UGC). The regulations have come into effect with effect from June 30, 2010. Any appointment/promotion made in contravention of the regulations is unlawful,” the report said.
The committee, led by renowned academician Prof. Anandakrishnan who was then chairman of IIT Kanpur, had recommended that universities should have complete autonomy in academic and administrative matters. However, the radical reforms suggested by it remained in the cold storage for want of support from successive governments.