Why Kerala Ending the Governor’s Role in Universities?

Why Kerala Ending the Governor’s Role in Universities is in News?

Kerala Ending the Governor’s Role in Universities:

• In most cases, the Governor of the state is the ex-officio chancellor of the universities in that state. While as Governor he functions with the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers, as Chancellor he acts independently of the Council of Ministers and takes his own decisions on all University matters
• But, the Kerala State government has recently passed the two University Laws (amendment) Bills in the Kerala State Assembly to amend laws relating to the governance of State universities and to remove Governor as the Chancellor of universities.

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Will the proposed amendment end Governor’s watchdog role in university administration?

• The proposed legislations(University Laws (amendment) Bills) will amend the statutes of 14 universities established by legislative Acts in Kerala and remove the Governor as the Chancellor.
• The latest University Amendment Bills will give the government power to appoint eminent academicians as Chancellors of various universities, thus ending the Governor’s watchdog role in University Administration
• The Bills also provide provision to limit the term of the appointed chancellor to five years.

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Why Kerala Government Ending the Governor’s watchdog role in university Administration?

Background

• Mr. Arif Mohammad Khan(Present Governor of Kerala) and the State Government have been at loggerheads for months now.
• It reached a simmering point when the Governor accused Kannur University VC Prof. Gopinath Raveendran of plotting to endanger his life at the 2019 Indian History Congress.
• This took a turn for the worse when the Governor denied assent to the controversial Lok Ayukta (Amendment) Bill and University Laws (Amendment) Bill passed earlier by the State Assembly.
• The fallout from this stand­off between the Governor and the Government led to Mr. Khan claiming that he has the power to dismiss Ministers who criticise him. Mr. Khan went to the extent of suggesting that the Chief Minister should take action against Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal as he had ceased to enjoy Governor’s pleasure.
• The worsening relationship between the State and Mr. Khan reached a tipping point with the Supreme Court order invalidating the Kerala Technological University VC’s appointment.
• Following this judgment, the Governor demanded the resignations of 11 other VCs claiming that they were appointed through the same procedure that was invalidated by the top court.

On What Basis the Kerala State Government Ending Governor’s Role?

• The Left government in Kerala is upholding that the Constitution does not envisage the role of Chancellorship for the Governor while stating that the role of ex-officio Chancellor of State Universities was entrusted by the State Legislative Assembly.
• The State government has also claimed the recommendation of the Punchhi Commission on Centre­-State Relations to refrain from “burdening the Governor with positions and powers which are not envisaged by the Constitution and which may lead the office to controversies or public criticism.”

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