KTU interim VC takes charge amid protests

Thiruvananthapuram: The interim vice-chancellor of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University here, Dr Ciza Thomas, who was appointed by chancellor and governor Arif Mohammed Khan against the wishes of the state government took charge on Friday amid protests by SFI activists and Left union workers at the university.
The student activists and union leaders tried to block Thomas from entering the university campus when she reached there to assume office. She entered the university and took over as interim VC with the help of police. Thomas is a senior joint director at the directorate of technical education.
After assuming office, Thomas said the SFI protest was not unexpected, but she never thought employees would join the students. She said she has already received hundreds of complaints from students over various issues, including distribution of certificates. "I hope the resistance and protests would die down once I get into business. After all, this is an interim arrangement. A university like KTU cannot function without a vice-chancellor," she said.
The government had initially recommended giving additional charge of KTU to Digital University vice-chancellor Saji Gopinath. The chancellor refused it on the ground that Gopinath's appointment as Digital University VC itself was under scanner. The government later wanted higher education secretary Ishitha Roy to be given the charge but Khan rejected that proposal too. Meanwhile, the Save University Campaign Committee has informed the governor that KTU pro-vice-chancellor S Ayoob was continuing in office though his appointment was coterminous with that of the vice-chancellor. The pro-vice-chancellor also has no right to continue in office after the Supreme Court cancelled the selection of M S Rajashree as KTU vice-chancellor, it submitted.