Frustrated by a prolonged stalemate in the appointment of Vice-Chancellors (VCs) for state universities in Tamil Nadu, hundreds of academicians are now turning their hopes towards the Central University of Tamil Nadu (CUTN) in Tiruvarur. This shift comes despite widespread concerns about the opaque nature of the selection process for central universities.
A Rush for the Central University Post
The Union Ministry of Education issued a notification for the VC post at CUTN on October 10, nearly ten months before the term of the current VC, M Krishnan, is set to conclude. The application window closed on November 8. While university sources reported receiving 356 applications, ministry insiders indicated the number was even higher.
In interviews with The Times of India, more than five aspirants revealed they would have preferred a state university position had the appointments not been frozen indefinitely. "With state university appointments frozen, applying to a central university, despite all its uncertainties, seems like the only available option," one applicant stated. He added that he had also tried his luck at the Central University of Odisha in July and the Central University of Allahabad in September.
Challenges with the Application Portal and Process Transparency
Aspirants highlighted significant technical and procedural hurdles in the application process conducted through the Ministry of Education's SAMARTH portal. Key issues included the inability to upload additional qualifications, such as language certificates, and the lack of space to detail experience beyond the mandated 10 years. There was also no provision to upload references.
"Overall, there is no clarity on how much weightage the application carries, unlike applications for other faculty recruitments," an aspirant pointed out. Another applicant noted that while the online format prevented uploading credentials like patents, it did reduce the cumbersome and expensive task of sending hard copies.
The early advertisement for the VC post, issued ten months in advance, has also raised questions. Union ministry sources explained that the university had sent a list of three names recommended by its executive council for the search committee. "However, approval of the names selected and the selection of two others to be nominated by the President are pending," an under-secretary handling the matter told TOI.
Experts Decry Lack of Transparency in Central Appointments
Renowned academic leaders have openly criticized the selection process for central university VCs. Former Madras University VC S P Thyagarajan and former Anna University VC E Balagurusamy stated it is no secret that the process lacks transparency.
"It is always done in a way that aligns with the interests of the central government," Thyagarajan said. Echoing this sentiment, a retired senior professor and aspirant remarked, "It is well understood among academics that selections in central universities are almost always handpicked."
This exodus of qualified candidates to central institutions underscores a critical bottleneck in Tamil Nadu's higher education governance. With many senior academics "running against time," the continuing deadlock in state appointments is forcing talent to navigate a system they view as unpredictable and non-transparent.
