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Christmas Truce in Kerala: How Governor and CM Ended V-C Deadlock

After a long standoff, Kerala's Governor and Chief Minister have finally agreed on appointing Vice Chancellors to two major universities. Dr. Ciza Thomas will lead the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University, while Dr. Saji Gopinathan takes charge of the Kerala University of Digital Sciences. This breakthrough comes after the Supreme Court had to step in and ask a committee to recommend names. The agreement signals a significant cooling of tensions between the Governor's office and the state government over university governance.

Key Points: Kerala Governor and CM Agree on Two University Vice Chancellors

  • Dr Ciza Thomas appointed VC of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University
  • Dr Saji Gopinathan to head Kerala University of Digital Sciences
  • Appointments follow a prolonged deadlock and Supreme Court intervention
  • Both appointments are for a four-year term starting December 2025
3 min read

Christmas truce: Kerala govt, Governor reach consensus on appointing Vice Chancellors to 2 key universities

Kerala Governor Arlekar and CM Pinarayi Vijayan reach consensus, appointing VCs to APJ Abdul Kalam Tech University and Kerala Digital University after Supreme Court intervention.

"A consensus has been reached between the Governor and the Kerala government on vice-chancellor appointments. - Lok Bhavan Sources"

Thiruvananthapuram, December 17

Kerala's Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan have finally reached a consensus on appointing Vice Chancellors to two key universities, ahead of Christmas.

Dr Ciza Thomas has been appointed as the Vice Chancellor of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University, while Dr Saji Gopinathan will head the Kerala University of Digital Sciences, Innovation and Technology. The appointments, announced on December 16, 2025, are for a four-year term and will be reported to the Supreme Court on December 18, 2025.

According to Kerala Lok Bhavan sources, in the matter of appointment of Vice Chancellors to the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University and Kerala University of Digital Sciences, Innovation and Technology, a meeting was held between the Chief Minister and Governor, who is the Chancellor of the said universities, on 14/12/2024 at Lok Bhavan. It was decided that Dr. Ciza Thomas and Dr. Saji Gopinathan be appointed as the Vice Chancellors of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University and Kerala University of Digital Sciences, Innovation and Technology respectively.

This development comes after a prolonged deadlock between the Governor and the Chief Minister, which led to the Supreme Court intervening and asking a committee headed by Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia to recommend names for the posts.

The office of the Chancellor has issued the notification today effecting the appointments as stated above and the same would be reported to the Supreme Court on 18.12.2025, Lok Bhavan sources added.

A consensus has been reached between the Governor and the Kerala government on vice-chancellor appointments. Sisa Thomas has been appointed Vice-Chancellor of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU), with the order issued from Lok Bhavan.

Saji Gopinath has also been appointed Vice-Chancellor of the Digital University. Sisa Thomas is a Governor nominee. The decision was taken following a meeting between the Governor and the Chief Minister. Both appointments are for a four-year term.

The agreement marks a significant thaw in relations between Lok Bhavan and the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government, which have been at loggerheads over vice-chancellor appointments and the broader issue of the Governor's role in university governance.

The backdrop to the consensus includes intense protests earlier this year at the Kerala University campus in Thiruvananthapuram. In July, members of the Students Federation of India (SFI), All India Youth Federation (AIYF) and Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) staged demonstrations accusing the Governor of attempting to "saffronise" state-funded universities. The protests turned violent, with demonstrators breaking open university gates and clashing with police.

Kerala Police resorted to water cannons to disperse protesters and detained several students. A case was later registered against 27 SFI activists, including its state secretary, following the unrest. The agitation was sparked by the suspension of then Kerala University Vice-Chancellor Mohanan Kunnummal.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
It's a relief that the Supreme Court had to step in. The constant tussle between the Governor's office and the state government was becoming a national embarrassment for Kerala's education system. Let's hope these appointments bring stability.
R
Rohit P
While consensus is welcome, we must remember the violent protests that happened. Students clashing with police is never the answer. Both sides need to ensure governance is smooth so that campuses remain places of learning, not political battlegrounds.
S
Sarah B
Interesting to see this play out. The article mentions accusations of "saffronisation" – that's a serious charge in the Indian context. Hopefully, the new VCs will focus purely on academic excellence and keep any ideological influences out of the universities.
K
Karthik V
APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University getting a new VC is crucial for our tech aspirations. Dr. Thomas has a big responsibility. The four-year term gives them time to implement a vision. Wishing them the best! 🎓
M
Meera T
A respectful criticism: It shouldn't take court interventions and public protests for constitutional functionaries to do their basic jobs. This "truce" feels like a temporary fix. The system for appointing VCs needs a permanent, transparent overhaul.
D
David E

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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