TIRUCHY: In a bid to address the issue of vacancies in vice chancellor (V-C) posts in 11 state universities, Higher Education Minister P Viswanathan on Wednesday said that as an interim measure and based on the decisions of the respective university syndicates, in-charge vice chancellors will be appointed across all universities under the Higher Education Department in Tamil Nadu soon.
Addressing reporters in Tiruchy after a consultation meeting with professors and students at Bharathidasan University’s Khajamalai campus, the minister said that earlier V-C convenor committees have been constituted in universities where the V-C post is vacant.
“These committees, along with the syndicate, will identify senior professors and prepare a panel of five names. From this panel, one senior professor will be selected and appointed as an in-charge vice chancellor on an interim basis,” he said.
He added that such interim arrangements have already been made at Manonmaniam Sundaranar University and Alagappa University based on the decision of the respective syndicates, and similar steps are under way for the remaining 11 universities. Clarifying the nature of these appointments, he stressed that they are not full-fledged V-C positions.
‘Provisions exist in University Acts to appoint interim V-Cs’
“These are only temporary arrangements. Once the courts deliver their orders, a final decision will be taken accordingly,” Minister P Viswanathan said.
The minister noted that the VC appointment issue has persisted for nearly five years, though he himself has been in office for only four months. The delay, he said, is largely due to differences between the then state government and former Governor R N Ravi.
Stressing that confrontation is unnecessary, he said he prefers a cordial and coordinated approach in the selection of vice-chancellors. “The Chancellor, the Pro-Chancellor, and the Government must function with mutual understanding. The public expects stability, not conflict,” he said.
Meanwhile, a senior Higher Education Department official from Chennai told TNIE that no formal circular has been issued directing universities to appoint in-charge VCs.
“However, universities have been asked informally to explore the possibility, as provisions exist in the respective Acts of the Universities concerned to appoint interim VCs. Few syndicates have already come forward,” the official said. A senior official from Bharathidasan University confirmed that names of senior professors have been sought by the department for consideration.
Speaking to TNIE, K Pandiyan, former president and prominent member of the Association of University Teachers (AUT), said the move is only a temporary measure. “This is not a full-fledged solution. The need of the hour is to appoint permanent Vice-Chancellors, and the state government should explore ways to expedite the court cases,” he said.
On the Private Universities amendment bill, the minister said that in 2018 the state introduced a Private Universities Act under which two universities were established, followed by another Act in 2019 that led to seven more, taking the total to nine private universities in TN. However, in 2025, the previous government brought in a “brownfield” model allowing existing colleges to be upgraded into universities, which faced strong opposition from the public, academics, and institutions, leading to its withdrawal.
