Appearing to train its guns on APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU) Vice-Chancellor in-charge Ciza Thomas, the State government has served a show-cause notice on her seeking an explanation on her failure to obtain requisite consent prior to her appointment as V-C.
The move comes nearly five months after Dr. Thomas’ appointment under controversial circumstances. Notably, the development also follows her removal as senior joint director at the Directorate of Technical Education.
The notice, issued by the Higher Education department, states that her decision to accept the appointment without the government’s permission was in violation of the service rules and amounted to indiscipline. It provides her 15 days to furnish an explanation as to why disciplinary proceedings should not be initiated against her. Dr. Thomas is due to retire on March 31.
She had recently moved the Kerala Administrative Tribunal (KAT) alleging efforts being made to transfer her to a faraway district in order to restrain her from discharging the duties of the KTU V-C. The government subsequently posted her as the principal of the Government Engineering College, Barton Hill, Thiruvananthapuram, on the basis of the tribunal’s direction to provide her a posting in the capital district.
