Tamil Nadu governor forms VC selection committee for 3 universities; govt cries foul

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi on Wednesday announced constituting Search-cum-Selection Committees for picking Vice-Chancellors of three universities in the state, a move that did not go down well with the state government which alleged he made "unilateral" decisions on the matter which will be faced legally.

Ravi, Chancellor of the University of Madras, Bharathiar University and Tamil Nadu Teachers Education University, has issued different notifications constituting Search-cum-Selection Committees for the selection of Vice- Chancellors for the respective institutions, the Raj Bhavan said. The Search-cum-Selection Committee will recommend a panel of three names to Ravi for the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor of the respective varsities, it said in separate releases.

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The move did not go down well with the ruling DMK, even as the government and Ravi are not on the same page on issues including the NEET exemption for Tamil Nadu. A release from the office of the state Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy said that under rules governing the state universities, there was no provision for the Governor to constitute such search committees.

"No Governor has unilaterally announced a search committee, there are no provisions in the rules. Government orders are issued on such committees under the relevant rules regarding the particular varsity and later published in the government gazette." "But the Governor (Ravi) has issued a notification after taking a unilateral decision...this is against the practice and regulations," it said. An Assembly bill allowing the government to pick the V-Cs was pending with the Governor for his nod, it said. It added that the "government will legally face" the governor's unilateral decision on the search committee issue pertaining to the three universities.