V-C completes tenure; no clarity on his successor

V-C completes tenure; no clarity on his successor

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:12.04.2021

M K Surappa on Sunday completed an eventful three-year tenure as vice-chancellor of Anna University. With no syndicate committee formed to run the routine affairs of the state’s premier technical university in the absence of a head, the state governmentisexpectedtomakealternate arrangements on Monday.

“The government may form a committee to run the routine affairs of the university till the new vice-chancellor is appointed,” an official said.

However, sources said an extension of the tenure for Surappa till the new V-C is appointed also cannot be ruled out.

The governor's office also sought a list of senior professors from the university, which set off rumours that a senior professor would be appointed as an officiating vice-chancellor. However, university officials said there is no provision in the university rules to appoint an officiating vice-chancellor.

Faculty members from the university were expecting that Surappa would get an extension on his last working day. However, no communication was sent to the university till Sunday evening.

A three member vice-chancellor search committee headed by JNU vice-chancellor M Jagadish Kumar has been formed to select the new vicechancellor to Anna University. Madras University former vice-chancellor S P Thyagarajan, former IAS officer Sheela Rani Chungath are the other two members of the committee.

There will be a briefing meeting with the chancellor and a nodal officer will be appointed. Through the nodal officer an advertisement would be given. Giving them around up to 30 days.

“The search committee meeting isyettotakeplace.The committee will need at least five weeks time to shortlist a panel of names for V-C post,” a source said.

As per practice, the nodal officer of thesearchcommittee will give advertisements inviting applications. After that the committee will shortlist ten candidates and conduct an interview before recommending three names to the governor.

During his three year tenure, professor Surappa took several measures to improve transparency in administration and bettered the quality of engineering education.