TIRUCHY: The Bharathidasan University (BDU) syndicate has recently approved the appointment process for a full-time registrar and controller of examinations, ending months of delay in filling the key administrative posts. The selection process is expected to commence soon, according to Vice-Chancellor committee members.
Confirming the development, V Rajesh Kannan, vice-chancellor committee member of BDU, said the syndicate, in its meeting held on September 22, approved the recruitment of the two posts. “The process will be carried out as per the university statutes,” he added.
According to the BDU statute, a three-member committee will be constituted, comprising a nominee from the Governor, a nominee from the syndicate, and a nominee from affiliated colleges. In case any SC/ST candidates are in the fray, a nominee from the category will also be included. The final selection will be placed before the syndicate for approval. Notably, the registrar post at BDU has been held by officials in charge since 2020, while the controller of examinations post has been under an in-charge arrangement since early 2024.
While the move has been welcomed, academicians have expressed concern that several other statutory positions remain under ‘in-charge’ arrangements. Posts such as directors of distance education, academic staff college, research, and the curriculum development cell are still being handled by additional staff in charge. Faculty members said this system undermines merit-based governance and creates an administrative bottleneck.
“The V-C’s post is already under a court-related issue and we have a VC committee here. But other statutory positions could have been filled without delay. The in-charge arrangement has bureaucratised the system and affects the efficiency of the administration,” said a senior faculty member at BDU.
Former AUT state president K Pandiyan pointed out that the issue is not confined to Bharathidasan University alone. “Four months ago, the BDU syndicate had approved the appointment process of a full-time registrar and controller of examinations, but the process did not move forward, now again they have approved it. This ‘in-charge syndrome’ is plaguing universities across TN. Those holding such posts have no security of tenure and can be replaced anytime by the syndicate,” he said.
A professor at BDU also criticised the current practice, alleging that in-charge positions are often given to those close to the syndicate. “These appointees are usually senior professors who already have academic responsibilities, which affects administrative efficiency,” Commissioner of Collegiate Education E Sundaravalli was unavailable for comment.
