As per the newly passed Annamalai University Act 2013, government-appointed Administrator Shiv Das Meena, a senior IAS officer, has formally assumed the powers and functions of Vice-Chancellor of the University.
Similarly, Registrar in-charge N. Panchanatham would exercise the powers and execute the functions of a regular Registrar. These measures are said to have been taken as transitory provisions.
The Tamil Nadu government has notified these appointments in the gazette “in exercise of the powers conferred by Sub-Section 3 of Section 1 of the Annamalai University Act 2013 (Tamil Nadu Act 20 of 2013) on September 25, 2013 as a date on which the said Act shall come into force.”
Mr. Meena would “exercise the powers and discharge the functions of the Vice-Chancellor till a Vice-Chancellor is appointed under Section 9 of the new Act,” and in case of Mr. Panchanatham he would discharge the functions of a Registrar “till a Registrar is appointed under Section 11 of the new Act.”
Spade work
Mr. Meena would have to do a lot of spade work to constitute the Academic Council, Syndicate and Senate of the University. He has the onus of carrying out his duties and responsibilities as delineated in the new Act and wherever possible to follow the already existing statutes, provided these are not in contradiction with the new provisions.
Mr. Meena has enforced discipline across the entire spectrum of the staff and streamlined the functioning of the hostel messes and other wings. The development has been widely welcomed by teaching and non-teaching staff.
