DMK corporate family plot to usurp TN Governor’s rights to appoint  Vice chancellors

The statement by Puthiya Tamilagam Party president Dr. K. Krishnasamy dated 10.01.2022

“The State Government should also have a role in the appointment of Vice Chancellors at universities in Tamil Nadu. The decision will be taken in consultation with legal experts.” This was announced in the assembly by the Higher Education Minister Ponmudi and MK.Stalin on 06.01.2022. These important announcements by the Minister of Higher Education and the Chief Minister cannot be easily overlooked as it directly impacts the lives and careers of millions of poor, innocent and rural Tamil students in higher education.

 Although the appointment of vice chancellors takes place through the governors, in practice, the will of those in power in the state takes its final form. There are also situations where governors are not even responsible for appointing a three-member select committee to appoint vice chancellors and are forced to nominate only the names given by state governments.

 For 50 years in Tamil Nadu, the appointments of university vice chancellors have been mired in caste, religion, corruption and nepotism. Vice chancellor positions were given to those who came forward with the highest bid, like it were auctions. Over the years, the appointment of a vice chancellor has a bargaining rate ranging between Rs 10 crores to Rs.15 crores. It was an unwritten rule that the positions of vice chancellors and aides were reserved only for the close relatives, relatives or relatives of those in power. The best academics were not even considered and were excluded from the selection process. That is why most of the universities in Tamil Nadu have turned into corrupt institutions who were answerable only to those in power. 

 Universities that were supposed to be the site of research have been reduced to a normal institution that just offers ‘degrees’ to college students. Universities that can be described as the tower of education have lost face in the name of corruption. It is in line with the saying that ‘the very people who were supposed to guard the gates turned invaders themselves.’ Often, in many universities the reservation system is not followed properly in any appointment. Corruption was also rife in distance education and even while setting the question papers. PhD degrees and even D.Lit. degrees were awarded to those who demanded it in return for cash. Many college professors have been the subject of sexual harassment complaints as well. Many vice chancellors and office bearers have also lost their positions after being accused of amassing multiple assets in excess of their declared income during their tenure. They were further involved in lawsuits.

 I have also spoken in the Assembly condemning such exaggerated malpractices in Tamil Nadu universities. We took up many number of times  many struggles and even gone to the courts. These tragedies have changed and for the last 2 years, the governors have been appointing a number of vice-chancellors without any major allegations. It seems that Stalin’s ‘camp’ could not tolerate the return of appointments of vice chancellors generously. That is why they have announced that they will consult with legal experts to bring the law in such a way that the state government has a major role in the appointments of vice chancellors.

 What is the major role? The parties that have ruled Tamil Nadu for the last 50 years have controlled the entire role of the deputy governor. Only in the last two years has that situation changed completely. The Governors of Tamil Nadu themselves are doing the right thing in appointing good academics as assistants in a non-corrupt and honest manner. Unable to bear it, the present DMK government is planning to sabotage the appointments of vice-chancellors and expropriate it as well.

 The intentions of the DMK government are clear. The remaining members of their families who are not members of parliament or legislature should be placed in such high positions. The second is to turn vice-chancellor appointments back into golden egg-laying ducks, pouring billions into them and turning them into garbage dumps and universities.

 By law and justice the appointments of vice chancellors should be under the sole control of the governor. Forget any major role, it is the opinion of most academics like us that the state government should not have even a small share.

 If the DMK government seizes the power to remove governors and appoint deputies, and Stalin appoints his own relatives, close relatives, his party cronies and paramilitaries as deputies, the lives of millions of poor, simple, rural, downtrodden, backward and very backward students in Tamil Nadu will be called into question.

Any universities set up in India must be accredited by the Department of Human Resource Development and Education, Government of India. Universities will not be accredited if they are not officially governed by governors. No university will receive UGC funding unless approved by the University Grants Commission. Most universities pay their professors and staff from UGC funding and overseas funding for research. All of these will be blocked. No other country in the world recognises any university that is not accredited by the central government and the UGC.

 Similarly, UGC’s funding was not available for more than 10 years due to the establishment of the MGR Medical University, contrary to UGC regulations. In 2005, Our PT Party organised an appreciation meeting for Sukhdeo Thorat, the then UGC Chairman, at New College, Chennai. More than ten dignitaries from various parts of Tamil Nadu participated and greeted the gathering. Dr. Mir Mustafa Hussain was the then Vice Chancellor of MGR Medical University. He was worried that the university had been without any financial support from the UGC for ten years. I took up the matter with UGC Chairman Thorat and arranged for UGC’s funding to be made available to MGR Medical University.

I am sure that the intelligent Tamil community will not accept this nefarious intention of the DMK government to usurp the appointment of the Vice Chancellor of the University from the Governor. Political alliance is inevitable in this case. But, no matter what mistakes are made for the sake of the Alliance; It would be detrimental to the coalition parties that blindly support such mistakes of the DMK, in line with the ‘moral claim of political survivors’ to justify such abuses.

 At one time, the goal of central and state governments was to provide elementary education and schooling for all up to the age of 14. This has changed over the years as they are not just for providing higher education. But, Educate them with practically knowledge and life skills.

 Therefore, there is a dire need for universities to function honestly. The appointments of their vice chancellors must take place with any corruption too. Only if their appointments are honest will the chancellors be honest as well.

 Therefore, if the ruling party makes any plans to usurp the powers of the governor in appointing vice chancellors in the name of ‘state autonomy’ and turn the universities into family property, it will result in the beginning of the process of removing the DMK government from being in power by the people of Tamil Nadu and send them packing home.

Mr. Stalin!

Do not usurp the power of governor’s rights of appointing university vice chancellors!

Do not make universities in Tamil Nadu your family property and add to more corruption!

Do not ruin the lives of millions of poor, innocent and rural Tamil Nadu students!

Do not choose the wrong path! Be warned!

Dr. K. Krishnasamy, MD

Founder & President

Puthiya Tamilagam Party 

10.01.2022