Headless universities in Tamil Nadu clueless over Vice-Chancellor appointment

CHENNAI: With the new academic year beginning soon, the State-owned universities in Tamil Nadu continue to be clueless about the appointment of Vice Chancellors, as the spat continues between Raj Bhavan and State government without any solution in sight.

Adding to this issue, the University Grants Commission (UGC) new draft regulation has given the powers to Chancellors (governors) to constitute a three-member search-cum-selection committee to appoint V-Cs, a move strictly opposed by the TN government.

For over two years, the State government and the governor’s office have been at loggerheads over the constitution of search committees for the selection of V-Cs. Adding to the woes, many universities do not have regular registrars, controllers of examinations and finance officers.

Six universities, including the University of Madras, Anna University, Madurai Kamaraj University, Bharathiar University, Tamil Nadu Teachers Education University, and Annamalai University have been functioning without a vice-chancellor. Educationists stated that the absence of V-Cs and other senior officers has severely crippled the administrative systems in these universities.

“It’s a matter of grave concern for not only academicians but also students as it will have a direct impact on their welfare, the quality of education and research in universities,” said E Balagurusamy, former V-C of Anna University. “Convocations are delayed. Degree certificates are signed by bureaucrats degrading their value considerably in the market. The State government and Governor Ravi should find an amicable solution for this stalemate. In fact, Governor Ravi should accept the existing conventions and procedures, and expedite the appointment of V-Cs to mitigate the agony of millions of students.”

Concurring with him was a senior professor from the University of Madras, who added: “For everything, we approach the senate to get clearance, which consumes more time. Without a V-C, even admissions will not be smooth.”

Accusing the UGC for being a disruptor and trying to replace the existing structure to suit the interests of financial market, P Ratnasabapathy, president, State Platform for Common School System – Tamil Nadu (SPCSS-TN), said: “The UGC’s draft regulations are against the stated objectives of providing more autonomy to the universities. On the contrary, it takes away the existing autonomy. The UGC is expected to give support and encouragement for strengthening and widening the efforts of the State governments in universalisation of higher education through fully funded government institutions. But now, the UGC is attempting to demolish the existing structure and replace it with a structure that suits the commercial interest of the global financial market thereby denying a dignified student life.”

He added that the commission was only a guiding body and that it could, at the maximum, withhold grants for non-acceptance of its guidelines. “The UGC has no power to impose a penalty for non-compliance of its guidelines. The threat to remove universities from the UGC list and barring them from offering degree programmes is beyond the mandate of the UGC,” he pointed out.

Prakash N Shah, general secretary, All India Save Education Committee (AISEC), opined that the UGC draft regulations 2025 were completely based on the ‘National Credit Framework (NCrF)’. “The NCrF has not yet been debated upon and validated, either in both the houses of Parliament or in various legislative assemblies of the states across the country. It’s just a draft prepared by an ‘appointed high level committee’.”

A senior official from the Higher Education Department said that State universities do not have any provisions to include UGC nominees in search committees for appointing V-Cs. “UGC rules, guidelines and regulations are not compulsory except in academic matters,” he added. “The TN government is firm that the UGC’s draft regulations will not be accepted. If the Union Government does not heed to the demands of the State, the only option is to move the court as soon as possible for a resolution.”