The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Changes in varsity administration rattle parents

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, May 22, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Changes in varsity administration rattle parents

V. Jayanth

Delay in court verdict on entrance tests adds to agony

CHENNAI: At a critical juncture, when the admission process to engineering colleges should begin next month, academics and parents are concerned about the large-scale changes in the administration effected recently. And, at the end of it, Anna University remains without a Vice Chancellor at this stage.

Former Vice Chancellor E. Balagurusamy's tenure ended on May 14 and a three-member panel has taken over the administration of the premier university to which about 250 engineering colleges in the State are affiliated.

Anna University also conducts the entrance examination and later the counselling for admissions to the "government quota" seats in all the affiliated colleges.

University sources said it could take several weeks, even months, for the process of appointing a new Vice- Chancellor to be completed.

In the recent reshuffle in the administration, there is a new Secretary for Higher Education and a few weeks ago a new Director of Technical Education was appointed. So the entire set up has been changed on the eve of the admission process this season. All these developments have caused concern among parents and academics.

What makes it so critical is the fact that there are about 70,000 seats at stake in the engineering colleges and nearly 2,000 seats in the medical and paramedical courses across the State.

About half these seats come under the government quota and are filled through a counselling system. The Anna and MGR Medical Universities also monitor the admissions made under the "management quota."

Parents and students are also worried about the fact that the Supreme Court has not yet delivered its verdict in the entrance tests case and the Government has to spell out a clear policy on the procedure this year.

Adding to the complex issues was the recent examination paper scam, which, academics believe can hurt the credibility and recognition for the University both within the country and abroad.

Managements of private self-financing colleges are quick to distance themselves from this muddle and hold the Anna University "entirely responsible" for the scam as one of its employees has been the "architect of the crime."

The chairman of one of the suburban engineering colleges argues, "It is the regulator who is at fault."

Government officials say that "a good system is already in place" and can fully take charge of the admissions this year. It is only the heads that have changed not the people who manage the system.

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