PUDUCHERRY: Anna Thozhil Peravai, the trade union wing of the AIADMK, has urged the Union Territory administration to appoint principal for Bharathiar Palkalaikoodam (BPK), the only government run college for Performing and Fine Arts in Puducherry.
It also wanted the administration to direct unqualified teachers to get themselves qualified as per the university norms and bring the institution under the administrative control of Department of Higher and Technical Education.
In a memorandum to the Lieutenant Governor on Wednesday, A Pappusamy, secretary of Anna Thozhil Peravai stated that the college was functioning without a principal or an academic head for many years as a section of teachers was against the appointment of a senior faculty member to the post. Besides, the college did not have proper funding, admission and recognition resulting in no scope for further development.
Though Supreme Court, in its order dated September 2, 2011 had upheld the judgment of the Madras High court directing the administration to appoint the senior most teacher to the post, it is still lying vacant. He alleged that the government had succumbed to the pressures of vested interests, who were opposed to the appointment.
Further, Pappusamy said that due to the inadequate number of qualified faculty and the principal, the college did not have a permanent affiliation. Pondicherry University has been rejecting the plea of the college administration for a permanent affiliation and cautioning the BPK administration of disaffiliating it.
The college has not been brought under the centralised admission of Common Admission procedures for Arts and Science Courses (CAPASC) and also not in the list of institutions of higher education.