Thiruvananthapuram |Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, acting as Chancellor of varsities, on Friday assigned the charge of Vice Chancellor of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University to the VC of Kerala University of Digital Sciences, Innovation and Technology.

The assignment of the additional charge to Saji Gopinath, Vice Chancellor of Kerala University of Digital Sciences, Innovation and Technology, was announced in a notification issued by the Raj Bhavan.

The notification said that till a VC is appointed in the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University, Gopinath will hold that charge, apart from the post he holds, with effect from April 1.

The move comes as Professor Ciza Thomas, who was assigned the charge of VC of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University temporarily, will retire today.

Gopinath is one of several VCs in the state who were last year sent show cause notices by Khan, as Chancellor of universities in the state, asking what legal right they have to continue in their respective offices in view of the Supreme Court's October 21, 2022.

The top court in October last year had quashed the appointment of the VC of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University saying as per the UGC, the search committee constituted by the state should have recommended a panel of not less than three suitable people among eminent people in the field of engineering science to the chancellor but, instead it sent only one name.