Two vice-chancellors told South First that they skipped the meeting due to valid reasons, and added that there were no pressure was put on them by the government.
Published Apr 25, 2025 | 12:57 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 25, 2025 | 5:52 PM
Attendees at the conference in Ooty. The conference comes on the heels of a landmark Supreme Court ruling that curtailed the governor’s discretionary powers over university governance. (Sourced)
Synopsis: Vice-chancellors of state-run universities in Tamil Nadu skipped a two-day conference convened by Governor and Chancellor RN Ravi. The boycott came close on the heels of the Supreme Court setting deadlines for governors to clear Bills forwarded to them by the state Assembly. The apex court ruling came in a case the Tamil Nadu government had filed against the governor for delaying assent to 10 Bills, all about universities.
Several vice-chancellors of state-run universities in Tamil Nadu boycotted a conference convened by Governor RN Ravi at the Raj Bhavan in Udhagamandalam.
The Vice-Chancellors’ Conference, inaugurated by Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, was expected to serve as a platform for discussions on higher education governance.
However, the absence of key state university representatives has exacerbated the ongoing political friction between the Tamil Nadu government and the Raj Bhavan.
Later, the governor issued a statement accusing Chief Minister MK Stalin of intimidating V-Cs and forcing them to stay away from the conference.
The conference comes on the heels of a landmark Supreme Court ruling that curtailed the governor’s discretionary powers over university governance. The ruling granted assent to 10 Bills passed by the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, effectively transferring the authority to appoint vice chancellors from the governor to the state government.
This decision was seen as a victory for Chief Minister MK Stalin’s push for state autonomy in higher education.
Dhankar’s criticism of the Supreme Court order had stirred a controversy.
Despite this, Governor Ravi proceeded with the conference, inviting vice-chancellors from state, central, and private universities. His move was widely interpreted as an attempt to reassert influence over university affairs, even as his formal powers have been significantly curtailed.
The two-day conference (25 and 26 April) was organised under the governor’s capacity as the chancellor of state universities.
Governor RN Ravi receiving Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar. (Sourced)
According to the Raj Bhavan, the event aimed to foster collaboration, share best practices, and explore innovative approaches to higher education. Topics included the implementation of the National Credit Framework, academic collaborations among universities, the use of artificial intelligence to maximize learning outcomes, financial management in educational institutions, and promoting entrepreneurship.
Speakers from academia, government, and industry were invited to address these themes, with Prof Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, delivering a special address on Frontiers in Science and Technology.
The Raj Bhavan clarified that the conference was an annual affair, initiated in 2022, and emphasised its academic focus. However, the timing of the event, just weeks after the Supreme Court’s ruling, has led to speculation about its political undertones.
The conference has drawn sharp criticism from educationists and political commentators, who view it as a push to implement the National Education Policy (NEP) and centralise the control over state-run universities.
Critics argue that the governor’s actions are part of a broader agenda to dominate and undermine the autonomy of state universities. Prominent educationist Prince Gajendra Babu vehemently opposed the conference, urging vice-chancellors to boycott the event. His appeal appears to have resonated with several vice-chancellors, who chose not to attend.
Vice-chancellors from multiple state-run universities, including Tamil Nadu Agricultural University in Coimbatore and Tamil Nadu Sports University, did not attend. Acting Vice Chancellor of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Dr. R Tamil Vendhan, and Acting Vice Chancellor of the Sports University, Dr. V. Mangaiyarkarasi, were among those who skipped the event.
According to sources, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University Vice Chancellor Dr. N Chandrasekhar, who had initially travelled for the conference, reportedly returned to Tirunelveli midway. Alagappa University Vice Chancellor Dr. G Ravi from Karaikudi also did not attend.
Speaking to South First, Dr. Ravi clarified that his absence was due to personal commitments. “I received an invitation from the governor, but I was unable to attend because of personal work,” he said.
When asked whether there were any directions from the Tamil Nadu government regarding participation in the event, he responded, “There were no instructions from the state government.”
Tamil Vendan said that he had just finished the Board of Management meeting and, due to his involvement in related tasks, he could not attend the conference on Friday, 25 April. He also stated that he had not received any guidance from the government.
Interestingly, he mentioned that Vice-President Dhankhar and Governor Ravi would be visiting Coimbatore Agricultural University on Monday, 28 April, for a conference related to agriculture, where both would address students and entrepreneurs.
When asked who was organising the conference, he said it was being jointly conducted by the state government, the university, and the governor’s office. Specifically, Minister Kayalvizhi Selvaraj and the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture would also be attending the event.
The conference saw participation from various private and Central universities and colleges, with over 10 vice-chancellors, 5 registrars, and other faculty members from the following institutions:
Of the 21 state universities in Tamil Nadu, only six currently have appointed vice-chancellors. Tamil University in Thanjavur, which is currently without a vice chancellor, had no representation at the conference.
The absence of state university vice-chancellors from the event sends a strong political message by boycotting the governor’s conference, they have effectively demonstrated that their allegiance lies with the Tamil Nadu government, reinforcing the state’s authority over higher education governance.
The Tamil Nadu Raj Bhavan issued a statement accusing Stalin of being responsible for the absence of state university vice-chancellors at the conference.
“The way Hon’ble CM Thiru. Stalin used police to deter the Vice-Chancellors of state universities from participating in the prescheduled conference today is reminiscent of the Emergency days. When telephonic threats from Minister Higher Education to the VCs not to participate in the conference did not work, CM Stalin used police,” the Raj Bhavan alleged.
“On the day of the conference one VC has been taken to police station. Others who had reached Ooty had midnight knocks on their hotel rooms by the state police. They were threatened by police with dire consequences to their life and that they would not be allowed to go home if they attended the conference. Such a gross abuse of Police!’, the statement said.
Is it a police state? Don’t VCs have academic freedom to attend an academic conference within the state? Or is CM Stalin afraid of consequences of rise in standards of state universities which largely caters to Dalit and poor students and any quality improvement will make them aspirational and inspirational that could be a threat to his political future?” Governor Ravi asked.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
