Chennai: Institution-wise reservation ordinance to trigger debate

Chennai: Central government's decision to bring an ordinance to change the formula for implementing reservations in teaching posts in universities may bring relief to the state universities as the existing ban on recruitment likely to be lifted after a gap of nearly one year.

The administrators are also wary of implementing the 200-point roster system taking the university as a unit instead of considering department as a unit which is being followed in the state.

Due to the 69 per cent reservation policy of Tamil Nadu, the state universities are already following 200-point roster system, but taking department as a unit for implementing the reservation.

A senior official of Madras University said both institute wise and department wise reservation systems are having their own advantages and disadvantages.

"The reservation issue is well settled in Tamil Nadu. The department-wise reservation taking years to complete the full cycle as the university departments have fewer vacancies. By taking institute as one unit, we can follow the 200-point roster system at one go," the official said.

"Since reservation is a state subject, the government has to take a call on the issue. The universities will follow state government rules in implementing reservation," the official added.

Though the Madras University has more than 200 vacancies, the university may recruit teaching faculty on priority basis.

Officials from Anna University said the ban is unnecessary for Tamil Nadu as the state is already following 200-point roster system for recruitment. "The delay in recruitment has affected the quality engineering education," they pointed out.  

Including the constituent colleges, the Anna University is likely to fill the 600 vacancies once the ban is lifted.

N.Pasupathy, vice-president, Association of University Teachers (AUT), said it's a welcome move to follow the 200-point roster system for implementing reservation in recruitment.

"While taking the institution as a unit, there are chances for faculty members from a particular community to be dumped in the same department. In the ordinance, the central government should issue guidelines to avoid such situations," he said.

C. Pichandy, former general secretary, Association of University Teachers (AUT) urged Centre to ensure equitable distribution in the appointment of faculty members.

"The government needs to evolve mechanisms for distribution of faculty members equally in the departments. The central government's move will help to fill up over 600 vacancies in the state universities," he added.

Allowing a plea challenging the advertisement of Banaras Hindu University, the Allahabad High Court has ruled that department as a unit for recruiting all levels of teachers at universities rather than treating university as a unit. The Supreme Court also upheld the judgment following which concerns were raised that it would affect the SC/ST candidates.