Madras varsity not getting V-C soon

Madras varsity not getting V-C soon 

Ragu.Raman@timesofindia.com 15.04.2025

Chennai : Despite the Supreme Court clearing 10 bills passed by the Tamil Nadu assembly that empower govt to appoint vice-chancellors to state universities instead of the governor, University of Madras may have to wait longer for a V-C as the amendment to its Act needs the President’s nod. 

The Madras University Act, 1923, was also amended, empowering the state govt to appoint the vice-chancellor. Besides, the Tamil Nadu Universities Law (Amend ment) Act, 2022, a separate bill for amending the Madras University Act, Chennai University (Amendment) Act, 1923, was also passed in the assembly. However, this was not among the bills notified by the state govt as amendment to acts passed before Independence would need the President’s assent.'

Former vice-chancellor S P Thyagarajan said, “After getting clarity from legal experts, the govt may speed up the process of appointing the vice-chancellor. As in the past, the state govt can think of issuing an ordinance to amend the act,” he said. Experts said any such ordinance would require the Governor’s assent. Madras University’s vice-chancellor S Gowri completed his tenure in Aug 2023. Ever since, the university is being run by a committee as the govt refuses to agree with the governor and include the UGC’s nominee in the V-C search panel. 

Former vice-chancellor P Duraisamy said the university act and statutes do not mention including the UGC’s nominee in the V-C search committee. “UGC regulations do not automatically apply. Senate is the supreme authority. The vicechancellors should be appointed as per the existing statutes,” he said. 

In Sept 2023, the state govt issued a notification forming a three-member V-C search panel omitting the UGC chairman’s nominee included by Governor R N Ravi. This panel had the vicechancellor of Central University of Karnataka, Battu Satyanarayana, as chancellor’s nominee and convener. Former IAS officer K Deenabandhu and former vice-chancellor of Bharathidasan University P Jagadeesan were members.