Ch3nnai, Oct 19:
The Tamil Nadu Higher Education Department has clarified that the government has not shelved its plan to appoint senior professors as interim Vice-Chancellors (VCs) for State universities, reaffirming that the proposal remains in place amid reports that it had been dropped.
Tamil Nadu has 14 State universities, but only Mother Teresa Women’s University currently has a regular Vice-Chancellor, according to the department. The remaining 13 institutions are functioning without regular VCs, raising concerns over administration and the smooth handling of academic and institutional responsibilities.
The vacancies have persisted amid a legal dispute over a Bill introduced by the previous DMK government that sought to make the Chief Minister the Chancellor of State universities. With the case pending, the TVK government decided to appoint senior professors as interim VCs until regular appointments can be made.
Interim VCs have already been appointed at Alagappa University and Manonmaniam Sundaranar University. The department is considering appointments at 11 other universities and has obtained lists of eligible senior professors from the institutions. Officials have maintained that the proposal remains unchanged and that the government intends to proceed with the appointments.
The selection process, however, has drawn attention to the need for transparency. Professors whose names figure on the lists have urged the government to ensure that appointments are made fairly, noting that VC selections under previous regimes had faced allegations of irregularities. The credibility of the process will be important in avoiding controversy over the appointments.
Higher Education Department officials have said the government intends to choose senior professors with clean records and without corruption allegations or pending departmental disciplinary proceedings. The interim arrangement is expected to help universities function while the legal uncertainty over regular VC appointments continues.
The department’s clarification and the current status of VC vacancies are based on the report published on October 19, 2026.