Former Anna University VC Urges Governor and CM to Resolve Vice Chancellor Standoff
On Saturday in Chennai, former Anna University vice-chancellor E Balagurusamy urged Governor Vishwanath Arlekar and Chief Minister Joseph Vijay to consider arriving at a temporary and pragmatic compromise on the appointment of vice-chancellors to state universities. The urgent appeal comes as 16 out of 22 state universities have been functioning without regular vice-chancellors for a period of up to three years.
The ongoing leadership vacuum is the result of a persistent tussle between the Governor and the state government. The dispute specifically concerns whether to include a University Grants Commission (UGC) nominee in the vice-chancellor search committees. Balagurusamy suggested that a compromise should be reached immediately, without prejudice to the pending court proceedings.
In a letter addressed to both constitutional officers, Balagurusamy detailed the severe operational difficulties these higher education institutions are currently facing due to the standoff. He noted that the prolonged absence of regular vice-chancellors has already begun to seriously impair the functioning of the universities.
According to the former vice-chancellor, the lack of regular leadership has led to administrative paralysis across the affected institutions, delayed academic decisions, stalled faculty recruitment, and uncertainty in financial governance. He pointed out that the students are the ones ultimately suffering from the impasse.
"The prolonged absence of regular vice-chancellors has already begun to seriously impair the functioning of our universities, including administrative paralysis, delayed academic decisions, stalled faculty recruitment, uncertainty in financial governance," Balagurusamy wrote. "More importantly, students who are entirely removed from this institutional dispute are bearing the consequences."
With respect to both constitutional officers, Balagurusamy submitted that universities cannot remain hostages to an unresolved standoff. He warned that allowing them to drift in a state of uncertainty would risk long-term institutional damage that may not be easily reversible.
