The Tamil Nadu government on Monday introduced a Bill in the Assembly to empower itself (instead of Governor-Chancellor) to appoint the Vice-Chancellor of Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University. This is the fourth Bill it tabled in the ongoing Assembly session to empower itself to appoint V-Cs for State-run universities under various departments.

The Bill tabled in the House cited the Gujarat University Act, 1949, and the Telangana (Andhra Pradesh) Universities Act, 1991, which have empowered the respective State governments to appoint the V-Cs. It also cited the Karnataka State Universities Act, 2000, according to which the V-C shall be appointed by the Chancellor with the concurrence of the State government.

“It is considered that in line with the aforesaid other State university laws, the government of Tamil Nadu should be empowered to appoint the V-Cs of the State universities,” read the Bill tabled by Health and Family Welfare Minister Ma. Subramanian.

At present, the Governor, who is also the Chancellor of the State universities, makes the appointment of V-Cs from a panel of three names recommended by a selection committee. Three Bills were earlier tabled to empower the State government to appoint V-Cs for 13 State universities under the aegis of the Higher Education Department and the Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University under the Law Department.

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had last month contended in the Assembly: “During the past four years, there has been a trend in which the Governor, without consulting the State government, is functioning as if he has the exclusive right over appointing V-Cs.”

The State government was not able to appoint the V-Cs for universities under its control. This had led to various confusions and it was against the ideals of democracy, Mr. Stalin had said. He had further cited the recommendations of the Punchchi Commission on the appointment of V-Cs.