Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 22 (IANS): The Congress on Monday urged Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan to order a comprehensive probe into all the appointments made to the various universities in the state after Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan assumed office in 2016.

In his letter, Leader of Opposition V.D.Satheesan said that there have been widespread allegations that ever since the Vijayan government assumed office in 2016, there have been numerous appointments made to various varsity posts wherein kith and kin of CPI-M led Left Democratic Front leaders have been given jobs bypassing merit.

"There has been a huge loss of face to the higher education sector in the state on account of merit being given the go by and relatives of Left leaders secured jobs. Consequent to this, the once high quality of education for which Kerala universities were known have been badly affected as there are reports of huge number of Kerala students leaving the state to colleges abroad," he said, citing the most recent case when Priya Varghese, wife of Vijayan's private secretary K.K. Ragesh, was given first rank for a teaching job in Malayalam at the Kannur University.

The letter to Khan comes hours after the Kerala High Court stayed the appointment of Varghese till August 31. Khan last week had also stayed her appointment.

According to sources close to the Governor, who is right now outside the state, Khan, after he returns on Wednesday, is expected to constitute a special team comprising of top experts to conduct a detailed probe into all appointments done to the Universities.