Despite HC stay on Acts, govt tells VC search panels to get on with work

Trichy: The state govt has notified extensions for the vice-chancellor (VC) search committees of three state universities, and directed them to resume work and submit panels of names, stating that the court's stay order did not restrain the functioning of the search committees. The three universities are Bharathidasan University in Trichy, Bharathiar University in Coimbatore, and Periyar University in Salem.The search committees had not moved forward with the process after Madras high court in May stayed laws that empowered the state govt over the governor in appointment of VCs. In its communication extending the committees' tenure till Mar 21, the higher education department said that panels of three names for each university had not yet been recommended by the committees. "The Madras high court, in its interim order, stayed the operation of the impugned amendment Acts with respect to the powers of appointment of vice-chancellors by the govt and did not stay the constitution of the search committees." Hence, the govt considers that the search committees can continue the process of recommending a panel of three names for the appointment of vice-chancellors to the govt, the communication said.The govt has also filed a special leave petition before Supreme Court against the interim orders of the high court. "If the court gives relief, having panels ready with names can help the govt appoint VCs before the election," a higher education department source said.The search committees were constituted based on university Acts and without nominees from University Grants Commission (UGC), a bone of contention between the governor and the state govt. Following a Supreme Court order in April granting it control, the govt formed fresh committees for a few universities and revived panels for Bharathidasan, Bharathiar, and Periyar universities, notifying them in the gazette. Their tenure was valid until July 25. However, after the high court stayed the new laws in May, the committees were left uncertain about how to proceed. "After notification by the state govt, meetings were held and work had begun, but we stopped further action after the court order as there was no formal communication from either the governor or the govt," said a member of a VC search committee. Another committee member said they expect similar directions for other universities as well.At present, 14 state universities are without vice-chancellors. The search committee for Bharathiar University comprises former bureaucrat P W C Davidar and former VCs of University of Madras, P Duraisamy and G Thiruvasagam. Bharathidasan University panel includes former bureaucrat K Deenabandu, S Subbiah, and former vice-chancellor of Tamil University M Rajendran. The Periyar University committee comprises former bureaucrat D Jothi Jagarajan, former vice-chancellor of Periyar University M Thangaraju, and former vice-chancellor of Tamil Nadu Open University M Bhaskaran.