Chennai: Failure to appoint vice chancellors to Madras and Anna Universities — the premier institutions in the state — for months together shows that the AIADMK government is not serious in promoting higher education, DMK treasurer and leader of Opposition M.K. Stalin on Tuesday said, while asking Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao to “monitor” administrative activities in all universities in Tamil Nadu.

In a statement released here on Tuesday, Stalin also alleged that there have been large-scale irregularities in appointing vice chancellors and in filling of top post in the state-owned institutions.

“Rules and regulations set by the Universities Grant Commission are being violated blatantly by the government and those administering the institutes. It is saddening that institutes of higher learning which is supposed to impart high-class education itself indulges in irregularities,” the DMK leader said.

The posts of vice chancellor of three premier institutes - Madras University, and Anna University - have been lying since February and May this year respectively, while the Madurai Kamaraj University has been headless for the past 18 months.
Mr Stalin also pointed out that this would be for the first time that degree certificates to be handed over to students of Madras University would not bear the signature of the vice chancellor.

Educationists feel that incidents like the one in the Madras University underline the “inherent problems” in the way the AIADMK government has been dealing with higher education and the administration of universities.

“The fact that world renowned Anna University and Madras University are headless (without a full-time vice chancellor) shows the callousness of the AIADMK government. There are reports of irregularities in appointing the search committee to choose the VC for Anna University. Such incidents do not augur well for the future of the higher education sector,” Mr Stalin argued.

Within days after issues of corruption in appointment of teaching faculties surfaced in the Bharathiar University, the registrar (in-charge) of the premier institute had resigned his post leveling serious charges against the vice chancellor.

Quoting media reports, Mr Stalin said P S Mohan, in-charge Registrar of Bharathiyar University in Coimbatore had on Monday alleged that the VC is trying to make him a scapegoat by pulling him up on a vital communication issued by the Higher Education Secretary regarding postponement of a syndicate meeting after keeping it under the wraps.

As the “chancellor of all 16 state universities in Tamil Nadu”, the Governor should step in immediately and monitor the administration in all these institutions. “The Governor should immediately take steps to appoint VCs to Anna University and University of Madras, besides ordering an inquiry into appointments in the higher education institutes,” Mr Stalin said.