Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala University syndicate meeting on Thursday decided to recommend to the governor to confer honorary doctorates on actor Madhu, lyricist Sreekumaran Thampi, former Isro chairperson K Radhakrishnan and Olympian P R Sreejesh. Radhakrishnan will receive an honorary DSc, while the others will receive DLitt degrees.During the meeting CPM members walked out over the appointment of T Vijayalakshmi, a professor at the Tamil department of the university, as director of Academic Staff College. They opposed the issue being taken up outside the agenda. UDF members backed her appointment, saying incumbent director Jose Kutty, who is also campus director, should not hold both charges.Vijayalakshmi had earlier faced controversy after students led by MP A A Rahim gheraoed her for hours while she was the student welfare director.The syndicate also asked its standing committee to examine the proposed awarding of a Sanskrit PhD to research student Vipin Vijayan after the department head and dean submitted differing reports. The committee will hear the dean, research supervisor and research student.It also decided to fill the registrar and finance officer vacancies through deputation and introduce online delivery of LLB question papers shortly before examinations. Centralised valuation will be introduced, with double valuation for students admitted from 2026. Teachers responsible for valuation lapses will face action.Officials were directed to issue orders on the syndicate decisions within two days. The meeting also approved PhDs for 32 candidates and appointments and promotions of 248 aided-college teachers. Vice-chancellor Mohanan Kunnummal chaired the meeting.
