V-C panel nominee for CU: meeting inconclusive

A meeting of the Senate of Calicut University (CU) to pick its nominee for the search-cum-selection panel that chooses a permanent Vice-Chancellor (V-C) for the institution has turned out to be inconclusive.

The meeting held on the campus at Tenhipalam in Malappuram on Thursday (September 11, 2025) ended in chaos after J. Prasad, a member, sought clarity on the proposal made at the meeting on August 23 to nominate Dharmaraj Adat, former V-C of Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady, as the nominee. The meeting was chaired by Kavumbayi Balakrishnan, senior Syndicate member.

Mr. Prasad said that Mr. Adat’s reluctance to take up the job had been reported not officially but through the media. Later, Registrar Denoj Sebastian informed the meeting that Mr. Adat had communicated the decision to him.

A demand was then made by the pro-Left members to take up the issue for discussion. However, Opposition members objected, leading to arguments between the two groups. Subsequently, the meeting was called off.