The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Monday adopted two Bills that seek to empower the government to appoint the Vice-Chancellors (VCs) to 13 State universities under the aegis of the Higher Education Department by amending the respective Acts. The AIADMK and the BJP opposed the Bill and the latter also staged a walkout.
At present, the Governor, who is also the Chancellor of the State universities, makes the appointment of VCs from a panel of three names recommended by a selection committee. Incidentally, the House adopted the Bills on the same day Governor R.N. Ravi inaugurated a two-day conference of VCs of State, Central and private universities of Tamil Nadu at Udhagamandalam.
The Bills introduced in the House by Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudy cited the Gujarat University Act, 1949, Telangana Universities Act, 1991, which have empowered the respective State government to appoint the VCs and also cited the Karnataka State Universities Act, 2000, according to which the VCs shall be appointed by the Chancellor with the concurrence of the State government.
