S. Manian, former head of Department of Botany, Bharathiar University, has been appointed the Vice-Chancellor of Annamalai University. Dr. Manian, who will take over from special officer Shiv Das Meena soon, began his career in Thyagaraja College in Madurai and then moved to Coimbatore.
He worked in Kongunadu Arts and Science College between 1982 and 1989. From 1995 till 2013 he was the head of the Department in Bharathiar University. He introduced the M.Sc Bioinformatics course in the country. Dr. Manian graduated from St. Joseph’s College and then pursued research in the Centre for Advanced Studies. He has around 18 years of experience as a professor. Annamalai University, which was taken over by the State government two years ago, had faced serious financial crises and complaints of nepotism and appropriation of employees’ provident fund. According to employees and Association of University Teachers, the university needs a strong willed person if the university has to regain its stature. The university runs a medical and paramedical college and agricultural and engineering colleges. As many as 3.8 lakh persons are employed in the university and the annual salary component is around Rs. 45 crore. It is believed that transparency in the functioning of the university was given prime importance when various contenders to VC post were interviewed. Dr. Manian is expected to revamp the varsity and restore order, said a retired professor who has been on some VC search panels.
Transparency in the functioning of the university was given prime importance when contenders to the post were interviewed
