Chennai: The rift between the Governor and the Tamil Nadu state govt widened on Friday after both sides traded accusations over including UGC nominees in vice-chancellor search committees for state universities.
Reiterating his stand, Governor R N Ravi, who is chancellor of universities, on Friday asked the state govt to recall the V-C search panel notifications for Anna University, Bharathidasan University and Periyar University, which were issued without UGC nominees.
In reply, higher education minister Govi Chezhiaan said it is painful to see the governor is creating obstacles in V-C appointments again and again, and his only ulterior motive is to bring the UGC chairman’s representative into the search committee. “Due to his intervention in this issue, the administration of state universities has been severely affected. I am afraid that it would affect the future of students,” Chezhiaan said. He also said it is clear that the governor is playing politics to hide fund cuts by the Union govt to state universities.
On Thursday, Chezhiaan had accused the governor of acting against the interests of students. Raj Bhavan had called this statement a distortion of facts and misleading.
The governor wants a representative of the UGC in the search panels and cites a Supreme Court judgment in support.
“Any selection by the search committee constituted without the UGC Chairman’s nominee is bound to be quashed by the courts,” a Raj Bhavan release had said.
However, the minister reiterated the UGC regulations on V-C appointments are only a recommendation.
