MKU varsity VC's appointment quashed

Holding that appointment of Kalyani Mathivanan as Vice-Chancellor of Madurai Kamaraj University did not satisfy UGC Regulations 2010, a division bench of the Madras High Court here today set aside her appointment.
Allowing petitions filed by K V Jeyaraj, an aspirant for the post and I Ismail, a student, Justice V Ramasubramanian and Justice V M Velumani said the Vice-Chancellor did not have prescribed qualification - a minimum 10 years of experience as professor.
Rejecting the contention of the University counsel that no one was holding the post of Professor in any government college or aided college, the judges by pointing out to information provided under RTI Act said, 104 candidates whose applications were considered for the post were professors.

Stating that "appointment of VC was now regulated by law and it was not possible to appoint even persons like Albert Einstein as VC in Indian condition", the Judges said the VC should be appointed as per qualifications prescribed by UGC.
The Judges also rejected the contention that the VC was only going to be an academic head and is not going to be a teaching staff and hence such qualifications should not be insisted on, saying, "It is not possible for us to accept the interpretation that one can be academic head, but cannot be considered as part of the teaching staff."

Referring to the contention that statutes of University did not prescribe such qualifications for appointment of VC, the Judges said as per the University Statute the salary of VC of is Rs 3000 per month. But the VC was getting salary as prescribed by the UGC.

"To put bluntly, the respondents would not accept any prescription contained in UGC regulations in so far as qualifications are concerned, but would like to follow UGC regulations in respect of pay and allowances," they said.
"If we accept the contention that the Chancellor can appoint anyone as VC in the absence of prescription in the University Act and UGC rules are not applicable, then anyone without any qualification whatsoever can also be appointed," they said.

In a lighter vein the Judges said, "The new discovery made by the University counsel pointing out repugnancy between the statutes of the MKU and UGC could almost qualify for award of doctorate degree but would not save the appointment of Kalyani Mathivanan as VC.