V-C selection process at Calicut varsity set to pick up pace

The process to pick a full-time Vice-Chancellor (V-C) for the University of Calicut (CU) is expected to move faster, with Governor and Chancellor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar notifying the inclusion of R. Ramakumar, State Planning Board member, as the senate nominee for the search-cum-selection committee on December 22.

Mr. Ramakumar was chosen as the senate nominee at a meeting held on December 18. According to official sources, Registrar Denoj Sebastian subsequently sought his consent as directed by the Kerala High Court. In an interim order issued recently based on a petition filed by the State government, the court had asked the university authorities to ensure the consent of the nominee chosen by the senate for the search panel. Dharmaraj Adat and A. Sabu, who were earlier chosen as the senate nominees, had declined to take up the job.

The sources told The Hindu on Tuesday (December 23) that the court, in its interim order, had asked the university authorities to conduct the special senate meeting to elect its nominee in 30 days, ensure the consent of the nominee, and inform the Chancellor about these developments.

After Mr. Ramakumar conveyed his consent to Mr. Sebastian, the Chancellor was informed about it. Thereafter, the notification was issued, the sources said. Now, the standing counsel of the university would inform the court about these developments when the case wtaken up on January 5, 2026, the sources said. The State government filed the case objecting to the Chancellor’s constitution of the search panel after Mr. Sabu informed his unwillingness to be part of it.

Ravindra D. Kulkarni, V-C, University of Mumbai, is the UGC’s nominee and G.U. Kulkarni, Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bengaluru, is the Chancellor’s nominee in the panel. The search panel is expected to go through the applications received for the post of V-C after the court’s final order in the case. These developments also follow the truce reached between the State government and the Chancellor over the appointment of V-Cs for the APJ Abul Kalam Technological University and the Digital University Kerala. P. Raveendran was given the full charge of V-C by the then Chancellor Arif Mohammed Khan in July 2024.