TN Govt Must Withdraw VC Search Panel Notification, Says Govenor

Chennai: Governor R N Ravi has called upon the Principal Secretary for Higher Education to withdraw the notification published in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette Extraordinary on September 13 on the formation of a search-cum-selection committee for the Vice Chancellor of Madras University.

A Raj Bhavan communique on Tuesday said the publication of the notification in the gazette by the Principal Secretary having no role in the affairs of the University, was without any authority from the Governor, who is the Chancellor and head of the University.

The had already issued a notification dated 06.09.2023 on the constitution of  the Search-cum-Selection Committee for identification of the Vice Chancellor and it was published in the website of Raj Bhavan, as well as made known to  the public by a press release.

‘The information of Notification was also published in the Tamil daily viz. ‘Dhina Thanthi’ dated 12.09.2023 and  English daily viz. ‘Times of India’ dated 13.09.2023,’ the communique said.

The notification by the Principal Secretary for another Search-cum-Selection Committee by excluding the nominee of the UGC  Chairman was ‘an act of impropriety,’ Raj Bhavan said.

The new notification did not adhere to the decision of the Supreme  Court and was void ab initio, being contrary to the UGC  Regulations and order of the Supreme Court, the communique said.