CHENNAI: The prolonged tussle between the state government and Governor RN Ravi over the appointment of vice chancellors (V-Cs) reached a new flashpoint on Thursday after the Supreme Court ruled that the governor’s inaction on Bills cannot be interpreted as deemed assent. The verdict has deepened uncertainty over key higher education reforms and raised concern among academicians.
At present, 14 state universities are functioning without regular V-Cs. Despite years of back-and-forth between the Raj Bhavan and the government, the stalemate shows no signs of easing. With the apex court clarifying that the governor’s silence does not amount to approval, experts say the path to filling long-pending vacancies has become even more challenging. Some universities, including Bharathidasan University, have been without a V-C for over three years, creating a crisis of governance.
Former Vice Chancellor of the University of Madras, P Duraisamy, said the prolonged vacancy will have long-term implications. “Students will be the ultimate sufferers. Without a full-time V-C, key administrative decisions, academic advancements, faculty appointments, and research initiatives remain stalled. The academic loss incurred today will reflect for years,” he said.
Noted academician S P Thyagarajan echoed these concerns, urging the government to proceed within the existing legal framework. “The government must take measures to appoint V-Cs as per the current Acts and Statutes. The power struggle should not come at the cost of future of students. Governance cannot remain hostage to political differences,” he said.
Academicians pointed out that universities are currently managed by convenor committees performing only routine clerical work. “Neither syndicate meetings are being held on time nor new programmes initiated, and it’s better not to speak about financial affairs,” said a registrar of a varsity. The ongoing impasse has also raised fears over the state’s national and international academic standing, with experts warning that prolonged administrative paralysis could affect accreditation, collaborations and research grants. “The Supreme Court’s ruling, instead of resolving the gridlock, has taken us back to square one. How to restore normalcy in state universities is a big headache for us,” said a higher education official.