The University Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2022 was approved by the Kerala Assembly on Tuesday, removing the Governor from the position of chancellor at the State’s universities. The Kerala Assembly chose to appoint top academicians for the post instead.
Over continuing issues with governor Arif Mohammed Khan on administration and appointments, the CPI(M) government introduced the University Laws (Amendments) Bill in the Assembly.
The session was also boycotted by the Congress-led opposition after the Pinarayi Vijayan government turned down its suggestion to include retired judges of the high court or Supreme Court in the selection panel of new VCs instead of state nominees.
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For the unversed, chancellors are responsible for the appointment of vice-chancellors and take other key administrative decisions.
Here is the list of Indian states that have done the same
West Bengal
In June this year, the West Bengal cabinet approved the chief minister as the chancellor of the state-based universities. Before this, the governor was appointed as the chancellor of state government-run universities.
This law led to CM Mamata Banerjee appointing 31 vice-chancellors in state universities instead of the governor. The system was first proposed by Punchi Commission in 2010 but it only got attention last year amid tensions between the governor and CM Mamata Banerjee.
Tamil Nadu
The Tamil Nadu government also passed two bills in April - the Tamil Nadu University Law (Amendment) Bill, 2022, and Chennai University (Amendment) Bill, 2022. This bill included conditions to authorise the state government to appoint vice-chancellors, instead of the governor.
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Maharashtra
The Maharashtra government passed the Maharashtra Public University (Third Amendment) Bill in 2021 to change the procedure for vice chancellors' appointments in state universities. While, in 2013, the Narendra Modi-led Gujarat state government also removed the powers of the governor as the chancellor to appoint VCs. The bill got the governor’s assent in 2015 Gujarat.
