COIMBATORE: Periyar University recently issued a show cause notice to an associate professor of the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, seeking an explanation for publishing two books as an author without obtaining prior permission.
As per sources, associate professor R Subramani released the two books ‘Periyar’s Battlefield’ and ‘Macaulay Was an Enemy of Conservative Education’ in 2022 and 2023, respectively.
In November 2023, the university issued a memo to him alleging that he had released the two books without obtaining prior permission from the vice-chancellor of the university. The associate professor had submitted his explanation last December.
Meanwhile, the university on October 18 this year, issued a show cause notice to him stating that there is a prima facie charge for releasing books without prior permission and he has been instructed to submit a reply within 15 days, sources added.
Periyar University Teacher Association President V Vaithianathan condemned this move and told TNIE that there is no need for permission to write books on subjects such as education, science, culture, etc. He said that an explanation had already been given to the university by the professor and the books were published as per norms.
Sending a show-cause notice to the associate professor seems like revenge, he added. He has urged the higher education minister to intervene in the matter. Attempts to contact university officials for comment went in vain..