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

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala 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 December 14 at Lok Bhavan. It was decided that Dr Ciza Thomas and Dr Saji Gopinathan will be appointed as the Vice Chancellors of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University and Kerala University of Digital Sciences, Innovation and Technology, respectively.

Dr. Ciza Thomas was appointed as the Vice Chancellor of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University. pic.twitter.com/m9pDZzvUMK

— Kerala Governor (@KeralaGovernor) December 16, 2025

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 effecting the appointments as stated above and the same would be reported to the Supreme Court on December 18, Lok Bhavan sources added.

Dr. Saji Gopinathan was appointed as the Vice Chancellor of Kerala University of Digital Sciences, Innovation and Technology. pic.twitter.com/DWelKWMynq

— Kerala Governor (@KeralaGovernor) December 16, 2025

A consensus has been reached between the Governor and the Kerala government on vice-chancellor appointments. Ciza 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. Ciza 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)