TN passes bills empowering govt to appoint V-Cs, cuts guv’s powers

The Tamil Nadu legislative assembly on Monday passed two Bills that empower the government to appoint vicechancellors (V-Cs) to state-run universities, a move seen as an attempt to clip the wings of the governor on this subject.

The move by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government came on a day when Governor RN Ravi inaugurated a twoday conference of V-Cs of state, central and private universities at the Ooty Raj Bhavan. At present, the governor, who is the ex-officio chancellor of state universities, makes the appointments of V-Cs. The higher education minister is the pro-Chancellor.

On Monday, higher education minister K Ponmudy tabled the two Bills that amend the laws of 12 universities — including the Madurai-Kamaraj University Act, 1965, the Anna University Act, 1978 and the Chennai University Act, 1923 — to allow the state government appoint V-Cs.

The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and its alliance partner, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) opposed the Bills, with their members staging a walkout.

The AIADMK alleged its members were criticised and shamed in the House. Party leader O Panneerselvam told reporters: “The governor has certain powers and there are several opinions and it.”

BJP state chief K Annamalai alleged that Stalin was politicising the appointments of V-Cs.

“DMK govt bringing in Bills to appoint V-Cs directly will politicise higher education institutions and will be an extremely aggressive step…”

The ‘statement of objects and reasons’ in both the Bills cited the Gujarat University Act, 1949, and the Telangana Universities Act, 1991, which allow the state governments to appoint V-Cs besides the Karnataka State Universities Act, 2000, which mandates that V-Cs are appointed by the chancellor with the state government’s concurrence.