Recall notification on Madurai Kamaraj University VC search committee, says Governor Ravi

This is not for the first time the governor has asked the government to roll back V-C search committee notifications.
Tamil Nadu governor R N Ravi
Tamil Nadu governor R N Ravi
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CHENNAI: Governor RN Ravi on Thursday “directed” the state government to recall the gazette notification issued for the constitution of the search committee to identify suitable candidates for the post of vice chancellor of Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU) as the notified committee does not have a nominee of the University Grants Commission (UGC). He asked the government to instead notify the search committee “as constituted” by the Governor-Chancellor that included the UGC chairperson’s nominee.

A statement issued by Raj Bhavan said the governor, who is also the chancellor of the university, had “constituted” the search committee with the nominees of the chancellor, syndicate and senate of the university, and a nominee of the UGC chairperson as per the MKU Act of 1965 and as per prevailing regulations of the UGC.

It said while the governor “directed” the government to notify the constitution of this four-member search committee through a letter dated December 16, 2024, the notification issued by the government on January 9, 2025 “purposefully excluded the UGC chairman’s nominee”, in violation of the judgments of the Supreme Court.

The statement, citing an order of the apex court, said any appointment of a V-C made on the recommendation of a search committee, constituted contrary to UGC regulations shall be “void ab initio”.

This is not for the first time the governor has asked the government to roll back V-C search committee notifications. The governor and the state government are at loggerheads over inclusion of UGC nominee in the search panel and this tussle has led to delays in appointment of V-Cs in state universities. Currently, six state universities are functioning without vice chancellors. The state government has also approached the Supreme Court in this regard.

Responding to the governor, Higher Education Minister Govi Chezhiaan, said in Thanjavur that Ravi has become “unfit” to be a governor since he is not accepting the recommendations of the elected government in the state. The minister alleged the governor is fit only to be the general secretary of the BJP.

Pointing out the state government had notified three-member search committees for appointing V-Cs, he said the governor is proving to be acting as a “handmaiden” of the BJP by failing to accept these notifications.

He further noted the case filed by the government in this regard in the Supreme Court is scheduled to be heard in the coming week. “Let’s see whether the Governor changes his ways after the court’s decision,” said Chezhiaan.

(With inputs from Thanjavur)

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