The Madras High Court (Madurai Bench) has granted an interim stay on the appointment of Joseph Durairaj as Vice Chancellor in-charge of the Gandhigram Rural Institute (GRI deemed university) in Dindigul. Durairaj’s appointment was challenged by T Senthivel, the dean of Faculty of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry at the centrally-funded university. According to the petitioner, the said post is filled by way of promotion from the post of Professor.