T’puram: Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar directed the interim vice-chancellor of Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady, to freeze the syndicate’s decision to grant an SFI activist who failed BFA examination admission to MFA and its decision to treat him as having completed the degree. The governor also ordered the suspension of the syndicate’s decision to initiate process for the appointment of an assistant professor.Vice-chancellor Geetha Kumari conveyed the directive through a letter handed over by the Lok Bhavan secretary.The student, A Kalesh, enrolled in the four-year BFA (mural painting) course failed the examinations in 2005. He was later admitted to MFA programme, which he completed in 2023.At a recent syndicate meeting chaired by Kumari, the syndicate decided to treat the case as a special one and grant him a BFA on the grounds that he passed MFA. Save University Campaign Committee (SUCC), in a complaint filed to the governor, had said that the university admitted him to MFA without verifying his BFA marklists.Arlekar also blocked the syndicate’s move to expedite faculty recruitment ahead of the upcoming assembly elections. A complaint filed by the SUCC flagged the decision, citing a govt auditor’s report that pointed to overstaffing at the university, which is currently facing a severe financial crisis.The complaint further alleged Kumari violated university regulations under pressure from CPM-affiliated syndicate members. Four syndicate members nominated by the governor also informed him in writing about alleged irregularities and corruption at the university.
