The Supreme Court has taken decisive action to break the ongoing impasse between the Kerala Governor and the state government concerning Vice-Chancellor (VC) appointments at two state universities. A bench led by Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan announced that the Court itself will appoint a five-member Search Committee to ensure regular VC appointments at APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU) and Kerala University of Digital Sciences (DUK).

Under the Court’s direction, the Attorney General of India, R. Venkataramani, and Senior Advocate Jaideep Gupta were asked to each submit four names for inclusion. One additional member will be nominated by the University Grants Commission (UGC), forming the panel that will shortlist candidates for permanent VC roles.

This landmark step comes after the Kerala High Court invalidated the Chancellor’s unilateral appointments of interim VCs—namely Ciza Thomas and K. Sivaprasad—without the state government’s recommendation. In response, the Governor filed a Special Leave Petition in the Supreme Court, pressing that the Chancellor’s authority under UGC regulations allows such appointments.

The apex court had earlier, on July 30, urged both parties to cooperate for timely permanent VC selections, reiterating that temporary VCs could continue in their roles until regular appointments were finalized.

At today’s hearing, the Attorney General defended the Chancellor’s actions as compliant with judicial guidance and regulations. Meanwhile, the state government countered by highlighting its own search committee and asserting that statutory law favored its nomination process under provisions like Section 13(7) of the KTU Act.

Rather than wade through legal complexities, the Court opted for a practical resolution. Justice Pardiwala even suggested that parties “sit for a cup of coffee” to reach a settlement. Recognizing the need for an impartial shortlist, the Court will oversee formation of the Search Committee, aiming for swift, consensus-based VC appointments.

The matter is set for further hearing tomorrow. In the interim, the moderating role of a court-appointed Search Committee is expected to end the deadlock and prioritize student welfare and university governance over political disputes.

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