CHENNAI: The syndicate body of the University of Madras (UoM) on Friday decided to seek legal opinion on who could sign the degree certificates of students for the upcoming convocation in the absence of a vice-chancellor (V-C).
As per the statutes of the university, only the V-C could sign the degrees, in their absence, a person nominated by the syndicate could do so. However, due to a lack of consensus regarding the signing authority, the body has decided to seek legal opinion.
A syndicate member said the officials would seek legal consultation tonight, considering convocation was announced for the fourth week of September. In the absence of the V-C, whose post has been lying vacant since August, the chairman of the convenor committee – Higher Education Secretary Pradeep Yadav – could sign the certificates.
However, a section of the syndicate opposed it, as the chairman is non-academic and students might face issues when certificates are scrutinised.
Appoint v-c before convocation: UoM staff
Chennai: To raise awareness on the issues plaguing the University of Madras, several teaching and non-teaching staff staged a protest on Friday. The joint action committee of teaching and non-teaching staff associations demanded the convocation be conducted only after the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor.
The protesters submitted a 15-point demand to the varsity registrar and higher education authorities. The committee wants immediate payment of salary arrears under the seventh pay commission. It has also urged the university to immediately clear the arrears, due for teachers who have already been promoted under the career advancement scheme (CAS). ENS