Tamil Nadu’s Higher education in crisis

CHENNAI: Though the admissions to the engineering, polytechnic, vocational, arts and science colleges went well this year, with more students enrolling in higher educational institutions, the Higher Education Department still has several tasks pending, including the official implementation of the State Education Policy (SEP).

A series of other issues before it includes appointing vice-chancellors for six state-run universities, including the prestigious University of Madras. Similarly, the appointment of about 4,000 assistant professors in arts and science colleges is still pending despite a notification being issued in March itself.

Adding to these, the Ministry of Education, through the University Grants Commission (UGC) and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), have been putting continuous pressure on all state universities to provide updates on the implementation of the National Education Policy, which was released in 2020.

At one stage, the UGC also issued a series of circulars to universities, threatening to freeze their central funding if they do not implement the NEP.

At present, the University of Madras, Madurai Kamaraj University, Anna University, Bharathiar University, Bharathidasan University, Mother Teresa Women's University, Alagappa University, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Periyar University, Tamil Nadu Open University, Thiruvalluvar University, Tamil Nadu Teachers Education University, and Annamalai University were functioning with lakhs of students pursuing various courses in these institutions.

Since the Rs 570 crore fund allocation under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) was frozen by the Centre, these state-run universities came under pressure and were caught in the crossfire between the Higher Education Department and the UGC. However, the deemed universities do not have any problem adopting the NEP despite the state’s opposition to it.

Delay in implementing SEP

A proposal to appoint an expert committee of educationists and experts to derive an exclusive SEP was announced in the Tamil Nadu Assembly in 2021. After overcoming several hurdles, it took the committee almost three years to submit the SEP report.

Though the Justice Murugesan committee had submitted the SEP to Chief Minister MK Stalin in July, Tamil Nadu has yet to implement it in both school and higher education. A senior official from the Higher Education Department, seeking anonymity, said the implementation of the SEP cannot be done immediately as it needed the feedback and suggestions from stakeholders to make any amendments.

"As per norms, it (SEP) cannot be implemented in the middle of the academic year," he said, adding "the policy is likely to be put in place officially from the next academic year." He also pointed out that the expert committee had submitted only a draft report.

PB Prince Gajendra Babu, general secretary of the State Platform for Common School System-TN, said if the state government started taking measures to implement the SEP, it can be launched from the next academic year. "The SEP will not only benefit educational institutions but students as well," he added. Babu noted that withholding funds for non-implementation of NEP is not a good sign. "The Centre has to respect the State's interests," he said.

Vice-chancellors and professors

Six universities, including the University of Madras, Anna University, Madurai Kamaraj University, Bharathiar University, Tamil Nadu Teachers Education University, and Annamalai University were functioning without a vice-chancellor. In addition, the state government has extended the services of vice-chancellors in Periyar University and Bharathidasan University.

Another senior official from the Higher Education Department, seeking anonymity, said the state government is firm on its decision to set up a search committee for the appointment of vice-chancellors. "Appointing a representative of the UGC in the selection panel will create several issues," he said, adding "there are no rules or norms to add a UGC member in the selection panel, and therefore, the state government is firm on its decision."

However, P Thirunavukkarasu, vice-chairman, Association of University Teachers (AUT), said the spat between the Raj Bhavan and the state government over the appointment of vice-chancellors should be solved immediately for the benefit of institutions. "Without vice-chancellors, universities cannot make quick decisions, as such decisions will further go to syndicate members," he said. Convening syndicate meetings itself is a process and then making decisions will have several other formalities, he stated.

Thirunavukkarasu said the non-appointment of assistant professors in arts and science colleges will severely affect studies. "It will cause stress and put an additional load on part-time teaching staff," he added.

Professor Arul Aram, Anna University, department of media sciences, and president of Anna University Teachers Association, said the delay in the appointment of vice-chancellors will severely cripple administration activities. "Several policy decisions, including the appointment of staff, will be affected," he said, adding "the echo system (working conditions of the faculty members) will degrade if there are no vice-chancellors in universities."