TNTEU Fails to Upload Professor Details in Chennai Despite Information Commission Order
On June 6, 2026, Chennai-based anti-corruption organisation Arappor Iyakkam demanded that the Tamil Nadu Teachers Education University (TNTEU) implement directions from the state information commission to publish the detailed bio-data of teaching staff across all its 680 affiliated colleges. The demand follows the university's failure to upload the complete faculty details online, despite a directive to do so.
The issue originated in 2024 when M Radhakrishnan of Arappor Iyakkam filed a Right to Information (RTI) application with TNTEU. The petition was filed following complaints from students and professors that several affiliated colleges lacked sufficient teaching staff. Radhakrishnan sought details on the university's affiliation inspection teams, their visit dates, and the list of enrolled professors alongside their backgrounds.
After receiving no initial response, the petitioner filed an appeal. During an April hearing before State Information Commissioner R Priyakumar, TNTEU Deputy Registrar and Public Information Officer B Vijayakumar stated that affiliation team details could not be shared as they were personal information. However, he noted that affiliated institutions had been directed to furnish approved faculty lists to the petitioner.
The university administration also informed the commission that its faculty database had become corrupt. TNTEU requested a four-month period to rectify the database and upload the complete information onto the university website.
Despite these assurances, Radhakrishnan stated that he has only received a list containing the names and designations of professors, lacking crucial details such as educational qualifications or photographs. He expressed concern that the incomplete list creates suspicion regarding duplicate names.
Although the university had directed its affiliated colleges to upload their respective faculty details on their websites before May 27, Radhakrishnan noted that not a single college has updated its data. He urged the university to cancel the affiliation of non-compliant colleges to protect BEd and MEd students enrolling for the upcoming academic year.
TNTEU Registrar K Rajasekaran stated that the process of uploading faculty details is still underway, as all affiliated colleges have yet to share their information.
