CUSAT not likely to be upgraded to IIEST if Prof. N S Gopalakrishnan is not reinstated
An application by the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) is pending before the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) to consider upgradation of CUSAT into an Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology (IIEST) under the 12 Five Year Plan. Sources close to Live Law indicate that if Prof. N S Gopalakrishnan is not reinstated as the Ministry of HRD Chair Professor at School of Legal Studies, CUSAT; CUSAT’s application is likely to be dismissed.
A senior official in the Ministry of HRD told Live Law, “If Prof. Gopalakrishnan is not reinstated; CUSAT will never be upgraded to IIEST status. Why should we upgrade a University which does not consider our views? Prof. Gopalakrishnan was dismissed without assigning any reason in an arbitrary manner. We want him back as the Ministry of HRD Chair Professor.” The removal of Prof. Gopalakrishnan was severely criticised by the Ministry earlier also.
CUSAT Registrar, A Ramachandran told Live Law, “We have not terminated Prof. Gopalakrishnan. His term was not extended. We have received a letter from the Ministry of HRD. They want us to reinstate Prof. Gopalakrishnan. Vice-Chancellor is placing the matter before the University Syndicate in the next meeting to be held on 3rd October, 2013. We will ask the Syndicate to review the decision.”
Prof. Shamnad Basheer along with other academics had earlier organized a protest petition regarding the termination of Prof. Gopalakrishnan and Prof. Yogesh Pai. Prof. Pai was also arbitrarily removed from the Ministry of HRD Chair Coordinator post by the National Law University, Jodhpur without assigning any particular reason.