Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi’s decision to form a committee to select Vice Chancellors for three universities in the state has sparked controversy, as the Tamil Nadu government objects to this move. The universities in question are Chennai University, University of Education, and Coimbatore Bharatiyar University.
Tamil Nadu’s Higher Education Minister Ponmudi released a statement expressing the government’s concerns. He highlighted that there are specific laws and rules in place for selecting Vice Chancellors in the state’s 13 universities. As per these regulations, a search committee is formed to fill the position once the term of the Vice-Chancellor concludes. The committee then selects and appoints the Vice-Chancellor. Ponmudi emphasized that there is no provision for a selection committee to be set up independently.
In accordance with the existing rules, the tenure of the Vice-Chancellor in Bharatiyar University ended on October 17, 2022, while the Vice-Chancellor of Tamil Nadu Teacher Education University finished their term on November 30, 2022. The search committee members were appointed as per the universities’ rules, and the notification was published in the Tamil Nadu Gazette on September 20, 2022, and October 19, 2022, respectively, with the Governor’s approval. Historically, no Governor has established a search committee on their own, as there is no provision for such an action in the rules. The selection board’s details are supposed to be published by the government in the gazette as per the set regulations.
The government expressed its discontent with the Governor’s decision, stating that it goes against the established university rules and regulations. They claimed that the Governor’s arbitrary decision to form a search committee and issue a notification was contrary to tradition and the rules in place.
To address this issue, a bill granting the government the power to appoint university vice-chancellors, similar to Telangana and Gujarat state universities, had been passed in the Legislative Assembly and sent to the Governor for approval. However, there has been no confirmation of the Governor’s assent to the bill thus far.
The government has asserted its stance, declaring that it will challenge the Governor’s report and the appointment of the search committee in a legal manner. The report pertains to the selection of Vice-Chancellors for Bharatiyar University, Tamil Nadu University of Teacher Education, and Madras University.
This clash between the Tamil Nadu Governor and the state government regarding the selection of Vice Chancellors for the three universities remains unresolved, as both sides stand firm on their positions.