Chennai: Even as Tamilnadu Governor R N Ravi was holding a conference with Vice-Chancellors of State-run universities in Ooty Raj Bhavan, the Tamilnadu Assembly passed a Bill empowering the Chief Minister to appoint VCs for various varsities, instead of the existing system of being appointed by the Governor, in his capacity as the Chancellor.
According to political pundits, this has further intensified the ongoing tussle between the Governor and the DMK government led by Chief Minister M K Stalin, over the former not sending Bills, including the one seeking exemption from NEET, to the Centre.
Sources said the fresh Bill has been sent to Raj Bhavan on Monday itself ‘to be forwarded to the President for his assent’. Meanwhile, Stalin called on Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu, who was in Chennai, on Monday. During the meeting, various issues concerning the State were discussed and the CM took to the VP’s attention some ‘key problems’, sources said.
The Bill to amend the Tamilnadu Universities Laws to allow the State
government to appoint VCs to the State varsities, was passed by voice
vote, amid a walk out by the members of the BJP, who opposed it at
the introductory stage, and by the principal Opposition AIADMK, which
staged a walk out at the time of adoption, condemning certain remarks
made by State Minister K R Periyakaruppan.
Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy introduced the Bill on which Chief
Minister M K Stalin and floor leaders of various parties spoke in favour of
it.
The Minister cited that in States like Gujarat, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh
VCs of State-run varsities were appointed directly by the Chief Minister and not by the Governor and had adopted resolutions in the Assembly in this regard.
‘Why the same system should not be adopted in Tamilnadu ? Let the Chief
Minister, who was democratically elected by the people, directly appoint the
VCs for State-run Universities’, he said.
It may be noted that at present the Governor, in his capacity as Chancellor,
has been appointing the VCs for various State-run Universities based on the
three names shortlisted by the University Search Committee.
The passage of the Bill comes at a time when Ravi was holding a two-day conference with Vice-Chancellors of various State, Central and
Private universities and at Udhagamandalam in the Nilgiris district.
Stalin justified tabling a Bill in the State Assembly empowering the State government to appoint Vice-Chancellors for State-run Universities, instead of the existing practice of being appointed by the Governor.
The State Legislative Assembly adopted two Bills that seek to empower the
government to appoint the VCs to 13 State universities under the aegis of
the Higher Education Department by amending the respective Acts, amid
opposition by the AIADMK and a walk out by the BJP at the introductory stage itself.
Speaking on the Bill after it was introduced by Ponmudy, Stalin said though it had been the tradition that the Governor would consult the government, there had been a change in the recent past.
‘During the past four years, there a trend has raised its head in which the
Governor, without consulting and respecting the State government, is
functioning as if he has the exclusive right over appointing VCs,’ he said.
The fact that the State government could not appoint VCs for universities
under its control affected its administration, he said.
‘As the State government is not able to appoint the VCs for universities
under its control this has led to various confusions. It is against the ideals of democracy,’ the Chief Minister said.