A day after protests, Madras University confirms faculty probation orders

CHENNAI: University of Madras confirmed the probation orders of 87 of the 94 faculty members belonging to the Madras University Teachers Association (MUTA) during its syndicate meeting on Friday.

This comes a day after MUTA members staged protests regarding the issue.

University registrar David Jawahar, whose tenure ends on March 6 next year, confirmed the declaration of the probation orders, and said it was one of the key outcomes of the syndicate meeting held after a period of five months. The meeting had 85 items on the agenda including routine administrative matters.

During the meet, syndicate members raised the 'precarious' financial issue of the Madras University, following which secretary of higher education department, A Karthik, instructed for white paper to be issued regarding the varsity's funds.

During the protest on Thursday, general secretary of MUTA and syndicate member G Ravindran had demanded white paper on the University's financial position and asked that an inquiry committee be constituted probe into possible misappropriation and diversion of funds during the previous Vice Chancellor R Thandavan's term in office.

However, senior UoM officials maintained that these records were already presented in the budget book.

A 3-member heritage restoration committee was formed during the syndicate meeting. The committee is to make recommendations regarding the restoration of the senate house.

However, the scope and powers of the committee is yet to be specified. It comprises of syndicate members G Ravindran, head of ancient history and archaeology department P D Balaji and Principal of KCS Nadar College Murugesan.

Another issue raised during the meeting was regarding the 15 students of AM Jain College who were not allowed to attend exams due to delay in paying fee.

A request was made to allow these students to attend exams. Madras University officials too said that students could not be blamed as there is no fixed deadline for paying exam fee.

"Since there is no last date of payment, the college has to accordingly update payment records until the last few students have submitted their fee. However this was not done," said a Madras University official.

The college has made the same mistake twice earlier and had levied a fine of 10,000 earlier, the oficial added.