A group of academics, including former vice-chancellors from Kerala, have written to the Chief Justice of India, voicing concerns over the recent Supreme Court decision to constitute a search-cum-selection committee for the appointment of permanent vice-chancellors to two universities in the state, without the inclusion of University Grants Commission (UGC) nominees. The apex court had appointed a committee with former judge Sudhanshu Dhulia as chairperson for shortlisting those eligible to be appointed as VCs of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU) and Kerala University of Digital Sciences, Innovation and Technology (Digital University Kerala). The move was aimed at resolving a dispute between the state and governor (chancellor) over these appointments.

The letter, dated Sept 8, 2025, highlighted a “perceived deviation” from established principles of university governance and previous SC rulings. The apex court itself had emphasised the mandatory inclusion of a UGC nominee in such search committees in judgments like Gambhirdan K Gadhvi v State of Gujarat (2019) and Professor (Dr) Sreejith PS v Dr Rajasree MS (2022), it said.

The UGC, as the apex regulatory body for higher education in India, plays a crucial role in ensuring that appointments are based on merit and align with national standards, the letter said.

The academics also raised concerns that the present order, reportedly based on a precedent from a case involving universities in West Bengal, grants an “all-pervasive” role to the state’s chief minister, which is not provided for in the state act or UGC regulations. The signatories expressed surprise that parties in the case agreed to this method, which, according to them, renders existing regulations and legal precedents “superfluous and inapplicable.”

The letter said the increasing litigation and political intervention in higher education were deterring eminent professionals from applying for vice-chancellor positions, which is not in the best interest of the country’s education system. They requested the CJI’s intervention to ensure that judicial pronouncements on academic matters align with established academic norms.

The signatories to the letter include Kerala University former vice-chancellor A Jayakrishnan, Kasaragod Central University VC G Gopakumar, former ISRO chairman Madhavan Nair, former higher education council vice-chairman T P Sreenivasan and Sree Sankara Sanskrit University former VC K S Radhakrishnan.

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‘Deviation from principles’

The academics said the SC decision deviated from established principles of university governance and previous SC rulings

They said the SC itself had emphasised the mandatory inclusion of a UGC nominee in such search committees in various judgments

The present order grants an “all-pervasive” role to the chief minister, which is not provided for in the state act or UGC regulations, they added

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