Tamil Nadu Federation of University Faculty Associations (TANFUFA) has urged the State government and the Governor, who is the Chancellor of universities, to ensure that well-qualified, top academicians are appointed as Vice-Chancellors to fill vacancies in four universities in accordance with University Grants Commission norms.
In a resolution passed in its general council meeting on Sunday, the forum has expressed concern that “political, caste and money interferences, besides the murky ways the VC Search Committees are set up, had led to unworthy academics occupying the top position in the State universities.”
Pointing out that the VC posts in University of Madras, Anna University, Madurai Kamaraj University and The Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University have been lying vacant for a prolonged period, leading to severe crisis in their functioning, the forum has said that controversies such as the recent one over the conduct of convocation in Anna University could have been avoided had the VCs were appointed in time.
The federation also urged the government to initiate steps for appointment of VCs in Bharathidasan University and Periyar University, where the tenure of the present VCs will come to an end in a month’s time.
A resolution was also passed requesting the government to take over full administration of the constituent colleges of universities, “which have become a huge financial burden for the universities.”
It also appealed to the government not to deploy excess faculty members from Annamalai University to other varsities in the State “since it will add to the financial burden of these universities.”
Thanking the government for passing an order regarding Career Advancement Scheme for Anna University, the forum urged for proper implementation of the scheme in other universities, where it had been getting delayed for many years.
Alleging that an environment of blaming whistle-blowers was prevailing in the universities, the federation said the authorities should welcome constructive criticism and take corrective measures. The general council of the federation met in Tiruchi in the presence of I. Arul Aram, president, and K. Sadasivam, secretary.
