Registrar given temporary charge of department students’ union president in Keralam’s Calicut University
Source Entity
India Latest News: Top National Headlines Today & Breaking News | The Hindu
Calicut University has appointed its Registrar, C.D. Sebastian, as the interim president of the Department Students’ Union. This decision follows a refusal by faculty members to lead the body, citing unacceptable behavior from student union officials.
Administrative Crisis at Calicut University
The University of Calicut, located in the Tenhipalam region of Malappuram, Kerala, is currently navigating an unusual administrative hurdle regarding the governance of its Department Students’ Union (DSU). In a move that highlights a breakdown in faculty-student relations, Vice-Chancellor P. Raveendran has appointed Registrar C.D. Sebastian to hold temporary charge as the president of the DSU. This decision follows a series of resignations and refusals from faculty members to serve in a role traditionally meant to provide guidance and oversight to the student body.
The Breakdown of Faculty Governance
The DSU president role is typically filled by a faculty member tasked with mentoring and managing the elected student representatives. However, the official order issued by K. Fazalurahman, Dean of Students’ Welfare, explicitly cites an environment where university teachers are unwilling to engage with the union. The core reason for this administrative paralysis is the reported "unacceptable behaviour" of the union officials, which has created a toxic environment that the academic staff is no longer willing to navigate.
Precedent and Administrative Shift
Prior to this appointment, P. Sivadasan, a professor from the Department of History, held the position of DSU president. His decision to step down and intimate authorities of his inability to continue underscores the severity of the conflict. By bypassing the faculty pool entirely and appointing the Registrar—the university's top administrative officer—the Vice-Chancellor is attempting to maintain a semblance of order and legal oversight within the student union's operations during this period of volatility.
Broader Implications for Campus Politics
The involvement of the Registrar in what is essentially a student-facing mentorship role signifies an escalation in the university's response to student union conduct. In the context of Kerala’s vibrant and often intense campus politics, this incident reflects a broader tension between administrative authority and student activism. When faculty members feel unable to perform their duties due to the conduct of elected student representatives, it suggests a significant erosion of the institutional framework intended to foster democratic student engagement.
Future Outlook and Institutional Stability
Moving forward, the University of Calicut faces the challenge of restoring a healthy relationship between its teaching faculty and the DSU. The reliance on an administrative official like the Registrar is a stopgap measure; it does not solve the underlying interpersonal and behavioral conflicts that led to the faculty boycott. Unless the university implements formal mediation or sets strict behavioral guidelines for student representatives, the institution risks long-term instability in its student governance processes, potentially alienating the faculty from the very bodies they are meant to support.
Verification Required?