Univ sits on proposal to set up Ambedkar studies department - The Times Of India

Univ sits on proposal to set up Ambedkar studies department - The Times Of India

Shanmughasundaram.J@timesgroup.com

Chennai:1.10.2020 

Thirteen long years have passed since the Thiruvalluvar University (TU) got the nod to establish the department of Dr B R Ambedkar Studies and a chair in Ambedkar’s name.Theuniversity,however, is yet to set them up.

The proposal to establish the department of Dr Ambedkar Studies was placed before the university in December 2006. The syndicate discussed and approved the proposal following which it was sent to the governor. The governor’s nod came in February 2007. Things stand there till now.

Meanwhile, the assent of Dr Ambedkar Foundation under the Union ministry of social justice and empowerment to create Dr B R Ambedkar Chair with a seedfundof ₹50lakhhad been pending since 2005 as the university made no efforts to set it up. “Since 2005, we have been reminding every vicechancellor to establish the chair and starting the department (Dr Ambedkar Studies)but not much has been done,” said I Elangovan, former syndicate member of the university and president of Thiruvalluvar University Employees’ Union.

The previous vice-chancellor, K Murugan, constituted a seven-member board of studies to frame the syllabus and come up with other requirements. But the task was not accomplished, he said.

He added that apart from the seed money, Dr Ambedkar Foundation was ready to provide additional financial support to sustain the activities if the university was ready to allocate a separate building or a wing of a building to run the chair. “Till 2010, the university was functioning on the premises of Vellore Fort and did not have sufficient infrastructure. However, no steps were taken after the university moved to a new campus at Serkadu,” he said.

Professor K Anthony Baskaran, one of the serving syndicate members, had raised the issue in the first meeting held after the new VC Thamaraiselvi Somasundaram took over last year. She had assured to take necessary steps. “Though the present VC launched a number of new courses, she did not take this department forward,” Baskaran said.

Thamaraiselvi, when contacted,saidshewasunawareof the board of studies formed by the former VC. She said, “We will form a committee soon and take necessary steps to establish the department of Ambedkar Studies and the chair. Getting the approval is easy but funding is a difficult task.”