COIMBATORE: The All India Federation of University and College Teachers’ Organisations (AIFUCTO) has come out strongly against the norms laid down for Vice-Chancellor (V-C) aspirants by the search committee for Thiruvalluvar University, Vellore.
The search panel headed by State Planning Commission Member (Education) E Balagurusamy, had among other criterions mandated that only those “who have worked in the rank of a University Professor for a minimum of 10 years” could apply for the post of V-C.
However, the AIFUCTO as well as the Joint Action Council of College Teachers in Tamil Nadu feel that the panel cannot restrict its hunt for a new V-C to just professors of universities. Instead, college professors also must be permitted to apply. “This is a myopic view of Clause 7.3.0 of the UGC Regulations 2010, which states that a V-C candidate must be a distinguished academician, with a minimum of 10 years experience,” says Professor M Ravichandran, vice-president, AIFUCTO.
According to him, insisting that only a university professor could apply for the V-C’s post would be contrary to the UGC’s stand of appointing a distinguished academician for the top job. “The university system would include colleges affiliated to universities. In fact, some of the colleges in Tamil Nadu are older than the existing universities. Therefore, the search committee must spread its net wider and look for persons with the highest levels of competence, integrity, morals and institutional commitments,” he argued.
But, the teachers are not wholly opposed to the guidelines set by the panel, which also comprises former University of Madras V-C, S P Thyagarajan, who is the author of the UGC Regulations 2010. “It is right in looking for persons with a proven track record of academic and administrative leadership,” says Ravichandran.