COIMBATORE: For the first time, Bharathiar University (BU) has replaced the Heads of Departments (HoDs) who had been serving for several years in 10 postgraduate departments in violation of a three-year rotation norm. The replacements came into effect on Wednesday.
Teaching faculty of the university welcomed the move as they had been demanding the implementation of the three-year tenure norm for the post of HoD, similar to other state universities like Madras University, Bharathidasan University, among others.
Official sources say as per the BU Statutes and Act, HoDs can hold the post for only three years. If they continue beyond this period, it is considered a violation. Once the three-year tenure ends, the university should replace them and appoint another teaching staff based on seniority for the HoD post.
However, the norm was not followed by the previous registrars and top officers so far. As a result, professors who held HoD positions continued in the same post until retirement, denying equal opportunities for others.
Some HoDs at BU had served for as long as 12 years, while others held the post for at least four years. They have now been replaced in 10 PG departments, including physics, commerce, and computer science, out of the 40 departments at the university. Officials are planning to replace 20 HoDs in another 20 departments soon, sources added.
An associate professor at BU told TNIE, “If teaching faculty members in a department get an opportunity to serve as HoD based on the rotation norm, it will be beneficial for their career, especially when applying for the vice-chancellor post selection process.”
He said when HoDs are changed every three years, new ideas can be introduced on the academic side, which would benefit students. This is the first time replacement of HoDs has been implemented, he added.
When contacted, BU registrar R Rajavel said HoDs of some other departments will also be changed soon.