In response to legal tensions over the appointment of acting Vice-Chancellors at key state universities in Kerala, the Supreme Court has decided to establish an independent Search Committee to nominate candidates for the roles. The directive comes as part of the petition filed by the Kerala Governor, acting as Chancellor of the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU), contesting High Court decisions that deemed interim VC appointments procedurally flawed.

The dispute centers on whether the Governor, as Chancellor, lawfully appointed interim VCs without the State Government’s recommendation—a requirement under Section 13(7) of the KTU Act, 2015, with parallel provisions in the Digital University Act. The High Court had invalidated these unilateral appointments, citing failure to follow required protocols and adherence to UGC norms. These judgments were upheld by Division Benches in July 2025.

In the Supreme Court hearing, Justice Pardiwala emphasized that politics must not stall the academic administration and coercive resolution must yield to cooperative solutions. Consequently, the Court mandated the formation of a five-member Search Committee: four members nominated—two each—by the Attorney General of India and Senior Advocate Jaideep Gupta, and one nominee from the University Grants Commission (UGC). The panel will prepare and recommend a consolidated short-list for VC appointments for both KTU and the Digital University.

While hearing the Governor’s appeal, the bench cautioned against waiting on temporary arrangements, stating that “temporary VC issues do not alter the law,” and reiterated the importance of student welfare over administration deadlock.

Previously, the High Court had recognized that while the appointments made—such as Dr. K. Sivaprasad at KTU—did not follow the State Government’s recommendations, the temporary tenure did not warrant immediate cancellation due to expiration. However, the court underlined that future appointments must comply with both Section 13(7) and the UGC’s 2018 Regulations on minimum qualifications.

By launching the Search Committee, the Supreme Court seeks to defuse the protracted tussle and restore orderly governance. The Court has directed both the Governor and the State Government to submit their recommended names for the Committee the very next day. This institutionally neutral mechanism aims to fast-track permanent VC appointments in accordance with statutory and regulatory mandates.

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