Tamil Nadu - Tiruchi   

Shock over VC's resignation

R. Krishnamoorthy

Circumstances under which he quit remain wrapped in mystery

TIRUCHI : The circumstances under which the former Vice-Chancellor of Bharathidasan University, C. Thangamuthu, resigned from the post earlier this week remain wrapped in mystery.

According to available information, Mr. Thangamuthu's decision to resign only three weeks before his term was due to end was a sudden one.

After a prolonged telephonic conversation with a caller who is still unknown, but strongly believed to be from the corridors of power, Mr. Thangamuthu was said to have asked for his Joining Report from his secretariat, and got his resignation letter ready before making preparations to leave for Chennai the same day. Only a month ago, Mr. Thangamuthu had himself scotched rumours of his resignation saying that he still had tasks to accomplish before completion of his term.

Repeated efforts of even his trusted circle of friends and well-wishers to get in touch with him after departure have turned futile so far. Though the talk that the Education Minister K. Ponmudy, whom Mr. Thangamuthu met earlier on the day of his resignation, had pressurised him to put in his papers, was doing the rounds on the next day, it later turned out to be that the meeting was cordial.

The Minister had treated Mr. Thangamuthu with due respect and dignity, an eye witness said. Senior professors of the university say that Mr. Thangamuthu who chose not to brook interference of local politicians in matters of the university administration was under "tremendous pressure" to resign.

On several occasions, Mr. Thangamuthu was said to have politely turned down their recommendations pertaining to appointments or admissions, citing the norms prescribed by the University Grants Commission.

About three months ago, the university was agog with the talk that the Government had ordered a probe into the new appointments that had been made over the past couple of years. The CB-CID is currently probing the marks scandal that had erupted much before his taking over as Vice-Chancellor. Mr. Thangamuthu was the Registrar then. A general opinion that prevails among the teaching community in Tiruchi region is that Mr. Thangamuthu should have been facilitated to have a graceful exit, particularly so in the wake of the academic reforms he introduced, and his creation of a healthy research environment that saw young lecturers scale new heights in attracting research funding from the Department of Science and Technology and other funding agencies.

He popularised the concept of off-campus programmes and ensured a steady flow of revenue for the university. Under his tenure, the corpus of the university surpassed the Rs.100-crore mark. A sense of disbelief and shock over the resignation prevails in the university.

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