‘VISIT WAS TO BE INFORMAL’
Following uproar, guv secy skips meet with BDU faculty
Sambath.Kumar@timesgroup.com
Trichy:
Tamil Nadu governor’s secretary R Rajagopal skipped a meeting scheduled with Bharathidasan University’s (BDU) officials on Thursday following an uproar in academic circles. The university in a circular had asked its deans and heads of departments to be present for it in ‘pleasing attire’. Teachers say the move by the governor’s secretary to meet the university officials was unprecedented.
Sources in the university said the proximity to governor’s office had helped the university proceed with the recruitment of 54 faculty members despite a directive from the state government asking universities to fill vacant seats with the excess staff from Annamalai University. Rajagopal was scheduled to meet deans and heads of departments of BDU on Thursday evening. The move did not go down well with the state government either as higher education minister K P Anbalagan termed it unprecedented and said he was unaware of such a meeting.
Association of University Teachers (AUT) was quick to condemn the meeting accusing the governor’s office of trying to interfere in the recruitment process. AUT general secretary M S Balamurugan asked why the governor’s secretary should conduct a meeting at the university when he has no locus standi. “When Bharathidasan University is not in sync with the higher education department in the appointment of 54 faculty members, their proximity to the governor office raises suspicion,” he said. “By such a move, the governor’s office is trying to say it has more say than the elected government,” he added. Speaking to TOI, vicechancellor P Manisankar said the issue was blown out of proportion as the governor’s secretary was scheduled to come on an informal visit to BDU. The circular was for the faculty members informing them about his visit, he added.
Following uproar, guv secy skips meet with BDU faculty
Sambath.Kumar@timesgroup.com
Trichy:
Tamil Nadu governor’s secretary R Rajagopal skipped a meeting scheduled with Bharathidasan University’s (BDU) officials on Thursday following an uproar in academic circles. The university in a circular had asked its deans and heads of departments to be present for it in ‘pleasing attire’. Teachers say the move by the governor’s secretary to meet the university officials was unprecedented.
Sources in the university said the proximity to governor’s office had helped the university proceed with the recruitment of 54 faculty members despite a directive from the state government asking universities to fill vacant seats with the excess staff from Annamalai University. Rajagopal was scheduled to meet deans and heads of departments of BDU on Thursday evening. The move did not go down well with the state government either as higher education minister K P Anbalagan termed it unprecedented and said he was unaware of such a meeting.
Association of University Teachers (AUT) was quick to condemn the meeting accusing the governor’s office of trying to interfere in the recruitment process. AUT general secretary M S Balamurugan asked why the governor’s secretary should conduct a meeting at the university when he has no locus standi. “When Bharathidasan University is not in sync with the higher education department in the appointment of 54 faculty members, their proximity to the governor office raises suspicion,” he said. “By such a move, the governor’s office is trying to say it has more say than the elected government,” he added. Speaking to TOI, vicechancellor P Manisankar said the issue was blown out of proportion as the governor’s secretary was scheduled to come on an informal visit to BDU. The circular was for the faculty members informing them about his visit, he added.
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