An entire academic year has gone by without a Vice-Chancellor at Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, much to the chagrin of the faculty and affiliated colleges.
For the whole of 2023-24, the university was managed by the three-member Convenor Committee, which was constituted after the previous Vice-Chancellor, P. Kaliraj, demitted office during October 19, 2022.
The Convenor Committee was constituted to discharge the duties of the Vice-Chancellor, with the Higher Education Secretary as the Convenor. The Committee, mandated with the task of performing administrative duties till the appointment of a new Vice-Chancellor, has been facing limitations in taking timely decisions in administrative and research matters.
Expressing disappointment, the teaching faculty rue that absence of a full-time Vice-Chancellor has affected day-to-day administration as well. “There is indeed delay in sanctioning approval for files on important matters as they have to be cleared by the Higher Education Secretary,” an official among the non-teaching staff said requesting anonymity.
The teaching and non-teaching staff were restricted from articulating their concerns through a circular issued by the university last month.
The circular sent to all university departments, constituent colleges and PG Centre “strictly” warned the faculty and staff members against directly approaching the Chancellor’s office, government, court of law and media without obtaining prior permission from the competent authorities of the university, citing the Code of Conduct of Act and Statutes of Bharathiar University.
The apprehension among the faculty is that the absence of Vice-Chancellor anymore will cause a further slide in the NIRF (National Institutional Ranking Framework) ranking. During 2023, Bharathiar University was ranked 21st in the ‘University’ category, six ranks below the previous year’s standing at 15.
Stagnancy in appointment of a new Vice-Chancellor persists as the State government is opposed to the stand of University Grants Commission for inclusion of its member in the V-C search panel.
