The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Expedite appointment of VCs: teacher organisations

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, May 31, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Expedite appointment of VCs: teacher organisations

By Our Special Correspondent

By Our Special

Correspondent

CHENNAI, MAY 30. Teacher organisations have expressed concern over the delay in the appointment of Vice-Chancellors to at least three universities in the State, especially during the admission season.

The Joint Action Council of College Teachers that includes the Association of University Teachers, the Tamil Nadu Government Collegiate Teachers Association and the Madurai Kamaraj - Manonmaniam Sundaranar University Teachers Association has stated that the non-appointment or absence of Vice-Chancellors has crippled the academic administration.

The Salem-based Periyar University, the Tiruchi-based Bharathidasan University and the Karaikudi-based Alagappa University have been headless for nearly seven months.

A recent JAC meeting passed a resolution stating "there could not be any reason why the appointments are delayed." It appealed to the government to expedite the appointments.

In October the incumbent Vice-Chancellors of the three universities completed their tenures. In February itself `search committees' were constituted. When contacted, the AUT general secretary, P. Jayagandhi, said teacher representatives had even met the Education Minister and officials to take up the plea.

"We do not see why the appointments should be delayed. We are into the admission season, and there is no one at the helm of affairs to decide on the guidelines of admission for this year as far as affiliated colleges are concerned," he said.

(The Tamil Nadu Dr.Ambedkar Law University is also without a Vice- Chancellor since the retirement of P. Audiseshan last year. Here too, the search panel has been constituted, but no final decision on the new appointment has been taken.)

The JAC wanted the government to take action against the Director of Collegiate Education for not deciding on "regularisation of the strike period of government and aided college teachers" which was in contravention of the Government Order dated May 20. The teachers went on strike between July 2 and 27, 2003. For other government employees, the services were regularised after the salary was cut for the strike period.

Prof. Jayagandhi said only after this salary cut and consequent regularisation of their service, the teachers would be eligible for further promotions, pension or increments. As the regularisation had not been done, pension papers of those retiring now were not acted upon. The resolution appealed to the Secretary, Higher Education, to call the JAC for talks at the earliest to settle the issue applicable.

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