Overview
- The state government has instructed officials to fast-track appointments of Vice‑Chancellors to about 15 headless state universities and to clear long‑pending teaching and principal vacancies.
- The TVK administration has proposed replacing the Governor with the Chief Minister as Chancellor and expanding Vice‑Chancellor search committees from three to five members by adding a UGC nominee and an extra state nominee.
- The directive to speed up selections was discussed at a high‑level review chaired by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, which sources report took place on Tuesday.
- The Madras High Court has issued notice on a public interest petition that asks the UGC to act under its statutory powers or for a court‑appointed panel to oversee VC appointments and has asked the State to file a comprehensive status report with the matter posted for further hearing on July 29.
- The appointment gap stems from an earlier clash when the former Governor repeatedly rejected state search panels for not meeting UGC guidelines, and the next steps to watch are the Governor’s response to the state’s proposal, any UGC intervention, and the July 29 court hearing.