Governor must walk back VC decision

Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala has waded into a controversy by appointing the principal of a private dental college, S M Jayakara, as the interim vice-chancellor (VC) of Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, that too without consulting Medical Education and Health Minister K Sudhakar, who is also the pro-chancellor of the university. It is established practice that when the office of the VC falls vacant, the senior-most dean or one of the two registrars is given temporary charge. Handing over the reins to an academic from a private affiliated college is not only unknown in the university’s history, but also sets a wrong precedent given the conflict of interests involved. Though a bare reading of the relevant Act states that the Governor as Chancellor may fill a temporary vacancy as he deems fit, under the overall Constitutional scheme, he is bound to act on the aide and advice of the council of ministers, except in certain matters on which discretionary powers are conferred on him. At the very least, the Governor has broken with established convention in this instance.

Sudhakar, who has expressed surprise over the decision, is on record that the Governor had not only ignored an earlier letter from him in which he had recommended that convention be followed in the appointment of the interim VC, but that he had also denied him an appointment to discuss the matter, citing the pandemic. Considering that there was no specific recommendation from the minister or the department concerned, it is unclear on what basis the Governor zeroed in on Jayakara, ignoring several other senior professors in the university. Sudhakar has openly stated that the new acting VC is “unfit” to hold the post, as it should be occupied by someone of “high academic qualifications and integrity.” The minister perhaps had in mind the fact that Jayakara’s house was raided by the CBI in 2013 in connection with a corruption charge when he was an executive member of the Dental Council of India.

The entire process of appointment of VCs has itself come under a cloud during the past several years, with extraneous considerations often taking precedence over academic excellence and administrative ability. Under the circumstances, Vala’s unilateral and opaque decision-making in this instance may raise uncomfortable questions. The Governor should rescind his order appointing Jayakara and choose an acting VC as per time-tested practice.