Kochi: Governor P. Sathasivam is sitting on a three-member panel given by the search committee headed by culture secretary Rani George for the post of vice-chancellor of Kerala Kalamandalam following widespread complaints.

There are allegations that two members on the panel are ineligible as per UGC stipulation and the search committee did it deliberately to enable natural selection of the third person.





Initially, the search committee had designs of sending only the name of Dr P. P. Raveendran, faculty in the School of Letters in MG University, on January 10.

But the same was changed at the last minute following reports in these columns about it and apprehensions of Governor rejecting a single name rather than a panel.

The Governor had shot down the single nominee recommendation during the previous dispensation for the same post in the same university.

It is understood that the search committee on January 16 sent the three names for the post. Apart from Dr Raveendran, it included Calicut University former registrar Dr T K Narayanan and Dr Geetha, a former government college principal.

However, certain quarters have alleged that both D Narayanan and Dr Geetha don't meet the required UGC specifications to become the VC and hence it is a ploy to make a smooth way in for Dr Raveendran.

Several emails are understood to have reached the Governor in this regard, and it is pointed out that he is sitting on the proposal for such a long time because of these.

It is also pointed out that Ms George and another member of the search committee T. K. Vasu, who is on the executive board of Kalamandalam, are not academicians and hence not qualified for it.