Faculty associations oppose Ravi’s move on V-C search committees for three universities

Faculty associations oppose Ravi’s move on V-C search committees for three universities

R.N. Ravi

State government has officially opposed the Governor’s action of constituting the committees for Bharathiar University, University of Madras, and the Tamil Nadu Teachers Education University. Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudy has said the Governor did not have the powers to do so

THE HINDU BUREAU CHENNAI

At least three organisations, representing working and retired faculty members of various higher education institutions in Tamil Nadu, have separately issued statements condemning Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi for unilaterally constituting “search-cum-selection” committees for filling the post of Vice-Chancellors in three State universities.

The Joint Action Council of College Teachers (JAC), Tamil Nadu, which is a confederation of three organisations — MUTA (Madurai Kamaraja, Manonmaniam Sundaranar, Mother Teresa and Alagappa University Teachers Association), AUT (Association of University Teachers) and TNGCTA ( Tamil Nadu Government Collegiate Teachers Association), said the Governor’s move was tantamount to appropriating the power of the State Assembly.

The Tamil Nadu government has officially opposed the Governor’s action of constituting the committees for the three universities — Bharathiar University, University of Madras, and the Tamil Nadu Teachers Education University. In a statement, Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudy said Governor did not have the powers to do so.

Echoing similar views, JAC, Tamil Nadu, said every university was governed by their respective Acts and only the State government was empowered to release orders regarding the constitution of the committees.

The Tamil Nadu Retired College Teachers Association (TANRECTA), said while the Governor, in his unilateral notification, has included a nominee of University Grants Commission’s Chairman as fourth member in the committees, the 2018 UGC regulations, which demand such an inclusion, were not yet adopted by State govt.

Makkal Kalvi Kootiyakkam, a Madurai-based organisation fighting for issues in higher education, alleged that by constituting the committees, the Governor wanted to be the ultimate deciding authority.

Alleging that the Governor’s action was in violation of existing laws and against people’s will, it urged him to withdraw the move.