As many as 30 government arts and science colleges are functioning with in-charge principals. Among them, 14 are Grade I colleges, with over 2,000 students and offering more than four postgraduate courses. One of the colleges is Dr. Ambedkar Government Arts College in Vyasarpadi, here.
At the beginning of the year, only 13 colleges did not have a principal when the erstwhile director of college education G. Geetha, who was also the principal of the Thiruvarur College, was suspended in January, and the post became vacant.
When principal posts fall vacant in colleges, the Higher Education Department deputes an associate professor from the college to function as an in-charge principal. Such persons are also given a financial incentive. A principal’s salary in a grade I college is ₹1.44 lakh and in grade II colleges, it is ₹1.31 lakh.
