
CHENNAI: The Annamalai University in Cuddalore district has issued a circular, directing its teaching and non-teaching staff to obtain prior permission to meet the higher education department minister or the department officials in Chennai. The circular has attracted criticism from the staff.
The university, in a circular issued this month, said that both teaching and non-teaching staff have been bypassing university officials and were directly meeting with higher officials — including the higher education minister — at the secretariat, to represent their grievances and petitions. “This is contrary to the provisions in the Tamil Nadu Government Servants Conduct Rules,” it said.
“In this regard, it is hereby instructed that all staff members should obtain prior permission from the competent authority before leaving the headquarters (of the university) for visiting higher officials at the secretariat and the higher education minister,” it added.
The circular assumes significance as the institution has been grappling with a plethora of problems such as its constituent college staff not receiving salaries on time, and this has led to the staff visiting the secretariat to air their grievances.
“The circular is unfair and quite funny. The staff go to the secretariat to complain against the wrongdoings of the varsity officials and now they want the staff to seek permission from them. Will they ever give us permission,” asked a senior faculty member.
V Thangaraj, president of the Tamil Nadu all government UGC-qualified guest lecturers association, condemned the circular, “If the varsity officials don’t listen to the staff’s problems then where are they supposed to go,” he asked.