Madras varsity’s convocation invitation raises questions on convener committee’s authority

The invitation for the 166th convocation of the University of Madras has become a discussion point. The convocation will be held on Tuesday sans a Vice-Chancellor and the invitation is from the Additional Chief Secretary of the Higher Education Department, Pradeep Yadav, who is also the convenor of the committee that is currently administrating the institution in the absence of a V-C.  

On Friday, at its meeting, the University’s Syndicate gave its approval for Mr. Yadav to sign the certificates.  

The University does not have a V-C owing to a legal tussle between the State government and the University Grants Commission. The UGC has said that it will not accept a V-C search committee without a UGC nominee. The State government has not given its assent to the requirement yet.

Academicians feel the invitation should have been from the Registrar or from the Syndicate as the Secretary is not a University authority.

The president of the Madras University Retired Teachers’ Association, M. Selvarasan, said when Ministers take oath of office, the invitation is issued by the Chief Secretary. The same rule should apply for the University as well.

A former professor pointed out that the V-C post is a teaching position whereas that of the registrar and the controller of examination, who are both members of the Syndicate, are non-teaching positions and hence do not have the powers to sign the certificates.

Former V-C of the University S.P. Thiagarajan, said in the best interest of the students, the arrangement to conduct the convocation and have the certificates signed by the Higher Education Secretary was the right decision.

He pointed out that there was no “clear-cut rule” as to who has the powers during the interim period. However, as the convener of the committee administering the University in the absence of a V-C, he was vested with the powers.

“The Higher Education Secretary, as a convener of the V-C committee, which has been acting on behalf of a regular V-C, has been acting as the interim V-C. They (the committee) are taking all the decisions required. As the interim V-C, he has all the powers of a V-C,” he said.

The exercise was necessitated as students needed their certificates for higher education and for jobs. “In the best interest of the students this is a good development so that students will get their degree certificates,” he said.

At an event in the city on Monday, Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudy said, the department secretary was authorised to sign the degree certificates. On the sidelines of an awards ceremony of the Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology, Mr. Ponmudy responded to media persons’ queries on the issue. The Minister said: “The University has a convener committee which will conduct the convocation. The Syndicate has approved that the Higher Education Secretary as the convener will sign ‘for V-C’. This will not affect the students’ future in any way.”