Governor Ravi hindering V-C appointments, alleges Tamil Nadu Congress; cautions him of Bengal-like fate
The delay in appointing V-Cs, for over a year in some cases, was affecting thousands of students, said TNCC president Selvaperunthagai
TNCC president K Selvaperunthagai
CHENNAI: Condemning Governor RN Ravi for allegedly hindering the appointment of Vice-Chancellors of universities in the State, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president K Selvaperunthagai on Friday said the Governor must come forward to acquiesce to the State government in V-C appointments or he would face consequences like his West Bengal counterpart.
Alleging that several universities in the State were suffering maladministration due to non-appointment of V-Cs after the Governor paralysed the appointment process, the TNCC chief said that the Governor shelved the Bill adopted by the State Assembly in 2022 for appointing and removing V-Cs of the State universities on its own.
The Supreme Court verdict in the West Bengal case upholding the full authority of the State governments on the varsities established, funded and managed by it would also apply to Tamil Nadu, Selvaperunthagai said in a statement, and asked the Tamil Nadu Governor to act in accordance with the verdict delivered by the apex court in the case filed by the West Bengal government in the V-C appointment issue.
Flaying Governor Ravi for hindering the appointment of V-Cs of Madras University among other universities in the State, Selvaperunthagai said he must immediately stop causing ‘unconstitutional’ hindrance.
Claiming that over 55,000 arts and science graduates were waiting for their convocation despite passing their exams in April 2023 owing to the hindrance caused by the Governor in the appointment of the V-C of Madras University for over a year now, Selvaperunthagai said.
The varsity rules permit only the V-C to sign the degree certificates, and in the absence of the V-C, the convocation could not be held.
Referring to the controversial appointment of a four-member search committee by the Governor to select the V-C in alleged violation of the varsity rules, which only permit a three-member search panel, the TNCC president said that the management of the varsity was unable to discharge its functions due to the inability to make administrative, financial and research-related decisions in the absence of the V-C.