As the Governor's conference draws near, many have been speculating about its agenda. On 23 April, the Governor issued a statement clarifying that the conference is not aimed at opposing the state government.
Published Apr 24, 2025 | 1:58 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 24, 2025 | 1:58 PM
Governor RN Ravi speaking at the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on 12 February. (Screengrab)
Synopsis: Following a Supreme Court verdict, the Tamil Nadu government stripped the state Governor of the power to decide on university affairs in the state. However, disregarding this, Governor RN Ravi has convened a conference of Vice-Chancellors.
Seems like the recent Supreme Court ruling mandating a time frame for state Governors to give assent to bills passed by the state legislatures has prompted Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi to wage a war against the state government.
Following the verdict, the state government published a notification in the gazette formalising the 10 pending bills as acts. Many of the bills were intended to limit the Governor’s role in the appointment of Vice-Chancellors in state universities. However, that did not stop him from openly flaunting his differences with the Chief Minister MK Stalin-led government.
Governor Ravi convened a meeting of Vice-Chancellors of all universities in the state — without notifying the Tamil Nadu government.
The role of Governors in India has long been a matter of political and constitutional contention. In Tamil Nadu, this friction has become particularly pronounced.
In its ruling, the apex court ruled unambiguously that Governors must act on the advice of the elected state government and its Council of Ministers. It also directed that the Governor cannot indefinitely withhold assent to bills passed by the legislature. Following the verdict, the court also granted assent to 10 pending bills.
However, even before the implications of the ruling could fully unfold, another controversy emerged.
Amid this backdrop, the Governor has scheduled a Vice-Chancellors’ Conference in Ooty on 25 April. The event has drawn further scrutiny with the announcement that Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar will attend as the chief guest. Dhankhar has previously voiced criticism of the Supreme Court’s ruling, particularly questioning the judiciary’s authority over constitutional functionaries like Governors.
What has raised eyebrows even more is that Vice-Chancellors from not only state universities, but also central and private institutions, have been invited to the conference. This development comes at a time when the Tamil Nadu government has moved to curtail the Governor’s powers in university governance through legislation.
With the Governor retaining the ceremonial title of Chancellor but no longer holding decisive powers in the selection of Vice-Chancellors, the real question is who effectively wields influence over higher education in the state, the Governor or Chief Minister Stalin?
Adding to the controversy, during an awards ceremony held at Thiagarajar College of Engineering in Madurai organised to honour winners of a state-level speech competition titled “Kambar in Educational Institutions”, Ravi concluded his speech by chanting “Jai Shri Ram” and prompted students to repeat the slogan.
The gesture drew sharp criticism from political parties and civil society groups, who argued that it undermined the Governor’s constitutional duty to uphold secularism and political neutrality.
In the long-standing legal tussle between the Tamil Nadu government and the Governor over administrative authority, the Supreme Court delivered a crucial verdict on 8 April. According to the ruling, ten bills that had been pending with the Governor were deemed to have come into effect from the date they were initially sent for assent. This was later formalised through a notification in the government gazette.
Among the key outcomes of these bills is the exclusion of the Governor from the process of appointing Vice-Chancellors to state universities.
In an interview with South First, DMK Rajya Sabha MP and senior advocate P Wilson said, “To my knowledge, all 10 Bills are related to excluding the Governor from the selection process of Vice Chancellors. So the Governor will still continue as the Chancellor. Only the powers of the Governor as the Chancellor in the selection of the Vice Chancellors have been taken away.”
This interpretation was echoed by economist Dr Jyothi Sivagnanam, former Professor and Head of the Department of Economics at the University of Madras.
He stated, “According to the bills passed by the Tamil Nadu government, the authority to appoint Vice-Chancellors has been transferred from the Governor to the state government. However, the position of Chancellor continues to be held by the Governor.”
Explaining the university governance structure, Sivagnanam said, “When we talk about university authorities, the Vice-Chancellor chairs the Syndicate, which is the executive body. Other bodies like the Senate, Board of Studies, and Academic Council also exist, but the Syndicate holds the most power. It is responsible for major decisions, including appointments and removals.”
He added, “At present, the Governor remains a Chancellor in name but holds no real authority. Like other nominated members in the Syndicate who have no voting rights and are termed ex-officio members, the Governor is now an ex-officio Chancellor. It is only by virtue of being the Governor that this ceremonial role continues.”
Two key questions arise when considering whether the Governor has the authority to convene a Vice-Chancellors’ Conference: If, as Sivagnanam claims, the Governor no longer holds any real powers, how can he organise such a conference? And what happens to the Vice-Chancellors if they choose not to attend?
To explore these issues further, South First spoke with Dr Duraisamy, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Madras.
Dr Duraisamy explained, “Under the recently passed bills, the power to appoint Vice-Chancellors has been transferred from the Governor to the state government. However, the Governor will still continue to act as the Chancellor. Based on this, he has convened the Vice-Chancellors’ Conference.”
Despite this, Sivagnanam insisted that the Governor no longer holds the authority. He stated, “The authority to appoint or remove individuals from office lies with the person who holds the highest power in the system. According to the recent Supreme Court ruling, this power has been transferred to the state government. Therefore, the Governor no longer has the authority to convene such conferences. However, he continues to serve as Chancellor, which is why he is organising the event.”
Sivagnanam further explained, “If the state government had passed the bill granting the chief minister the role of Chancellor, the Governor would have no role left. The Tamil Nadu government has, in accordance with the Constitution, allowed the Governor to continue in his ceremonial capacity as Chancellor, but the legal power to appoint Vice-Chancellors now rests with the government. This is the legal framework that has been put in place, and the Governor is utilising this structure to continue engaging in such activities.”
As the Governor’s conference draws near, many have been speculating about its agenda. On 23 April, the Governor issued a statement clarifying that the conference is not aimed at opposing the state government.
The statement emphasised, “The annual conference, initiated in 2022 by the Governor of Tamil Nadu, is a platform for academic and industrial leaders to engage in collaborative dialogue on emerging educational challenges and opportunities. It aims to foster innovation, enhance institutional competitiveness, and ultimately benefit students across the state.”
The press release further outlined the planning process, stating that preparations for this year’s event began in January, with input from Vice-Chancellors and experts from across the country. It noted that prior to these conferences, institutions, especially state universities, operated in isolation, which limited the growth of both students and institutions.
However, this explanation has been met with criticism. Speaking to South First, PB Prince Gajendra Babu, an educationalist and General Secretary of the State Platform for Common School System – Tamil Nadu (SPCSS-TN), argued that Governor Ravi is undermining the state government’s higher education framework.
He criticised the Governor for disregarding the democratically elected state government and instead encouraging Vice-Chancellors, college, and school heads to act against the government. He pointed out that the practice of organising such Vice-Chancellor conferences has been institutionalised under Ravi’s leadership.
Gajendra Babu also pointed out that the press release failed to clarify who is convening the conference and under what authority. “The Governor of Tamil Nadu is the Chancellor of the State Universities. Central Universities and Private Universities have their own administrative structure, in which the Governor of the state has no role,” he noted.
He further accused the Governor of using his position as Chancellor to advance the agenda of implementing the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, saying, “The practice of the Governor, in his capacity as Chancellor, convening the Vice-Chancellor’s Conference was adopted by RN Ravi as part of his campaign for the implementation of NEP 2020.”
During the third conference held on 27 and 28 May 2024, both Governor Ravi and the Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC), Professor M Jagadesh Kumar, emphasised the need for the implementation of the NEP in India, calling for its firm and consistent execution. This move has sparked significant controversy.
Criticising the Governor’s position, Sivagnanam posed a crucial question: How can a Governor, whose role is to act on the advice of the elected state government, promote a national policy when the state already has a successful education policy in place?
He pointed out that after the state government had clearly communicated its position to the union government, concerns arose over why the Governor is publicly advocating for the NEP, which does not align with the state’s established education policies.
A similar conference was held by Chief Minister Stalin on 16 April.
In his address to Vice-Chancellors and Registrars of Tamil Nadu’s state universities, Stalin highlighted that Tamil Nadu is a national leader in education. He pointed out the state’s Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) of 51.3 percent and the fact that 22 universities from the state rank in the top 100 in the NIRF rankings.
Stalin reiterated the state’s rejection of the NEP in favour of a more inclusive and regionally tailored approach.
He also cautioned against complacency. He emphasised the importance of adapting to global shifts in science and technology. Stalin encouraged universities to revamp their curricula and introduce globally relevant courses, such as Data Science and Advanced Manufacturing. The goal was to ensure that students graduate with not just degrees, but with relevant skills and confidence.
Highlighting this, Sivagnanam questioned whether the Governor and the Union government genuinely cared about education, or if they were primarily concerned with exerting control over state-established educational institutions and pushing policies like NEP. He argued that such conferences were more about imposing control and furthering national agendas than addressing the real needs of Tamil Nadu’s education system.
Sivagnanam also raised concerns about the federal funding for education. He pointed out that the central government had significantly reduced the funding allocated for education. According to the Kothari Commission, six percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) should be earmarked for education.
However, the Union government had failed to implement this recommendation. Sivagnanam further criticised the reduced financial allocation to state governments, noting that only central institutions like IITs and IIMs were receiving adequate funding, while the UGC failed to fulfil its responsibilities.
He added, “The UGC, which stands for the University Grants Commission, was originally set up to fund state universities. Now, UGC has shifted its focus entirely, abandoning its funding role for state universities. Over the last decade, it has failed to contribute to buildings, salaries, and other necessities, effectively neglecting state-run institutions. Meanwhile, the Union government continues to push the NEP through various channels, particularly through the Governors, causing further confusion and political interference.”
He also stated that the root issue lies in the political manoeuvring within education, with Governors stoking unnecessary controversies in states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala, which are known for their educational excellence.
Gajendra Babu shared similar concerns, agreeing with Sivagnanam’s assessment.
He criticised the Governor’s approach, noting that Ravi showed little interest in resolving critical issues within the state universities. He pointed out that while numerous research scholars were waiting for their theses to be evaluated, many state universities were still without Vice-Chancellors. Instead of focusing on solving these pressing issues, the Governor was fixated on ensuring that a search panel for Vice-Chancellor appointments was formed according to his directive, or there would be no Vice-Chancellor at all.
Gajendra Babu further remarked that this conference was likely to be another platform for enforcing the NEP 2020, rather than addressing the real challenges facing the state’s higher education system.
A pertinent question has emerged from the ongoing conference hosted by the Governor: Will the Vice Chancellors of state universities attend this conference? Will they heed the state government’s directives or the Governor’s instructions? This situation has raised concerns about where their loyalty truly lies.
When asked about this, Duraisamy responded, “I’m not sure whether this conference is right or wrong. However, the Vice-Chancellors have been placed in a difficult position by this situation. They now face the dilemma of either listening to the state government or the Governor, and this has created a problematic scenario for them. It’s a very embarrassing position for the Vice-Chancellors.”
Sivagnanam also weighed in on the matter, stating, “There are no legal obligations for Vice-Chancellors to attend this conference. If they choose not to participate, there is no legal constraint. The decision to attend or not should be theirs. It is ultimately their choice whether they stand with the state government or the Governor. The Governor, in fact, has even invited private universities, which do not even have a Vice-Chancellor, to this conference out of fear that the state-run universities may not comply.”
Sivagnanam further emphasised, “In my view, it is up to the Vice-Chancellors to think independently and make their decision about where they stand.”
Gajendra Babu also expressed strong opinions on the issue, urging the Vice-Chancellors and leaders of state universities to resist the authoritarian direction of the Governor. Drawing a parallel with Albert Einstein’s call to stand against McCarthyism, he stressed the relevance of this stance in India’s current political climate.
He insisted, “Teaching is a profession, not just an occupation. The Vice-Chancellors must stand firm, without fear or bias, to defend academic freedom and the rights of the state government concerning the universities, as guaranteed by the Constitution of India.”
Gajendra Babu also pointed out that the conference disregards the duly elected state government in Tamil Nadu. He stated, “Blaming the state government for not facilitating the exchange of ideas among universities is misleading. If the Governor genuinely wanted to facilitate such exchanges, he should have communicated his ideas to the state government. A conference could have been organised through the state government.”
He further argued, “By bypassing the legally elected government, this meeting is being held without proper consultation. The Vice President has been invited to inaugurate it, which further undermines the state’s authority.”
The invitation extended by the Governor to Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar to be the chief guest at the ongoing conference has stirred significant controversy.
Gajendra Babu criticised this move, stating, “The Governor is inviting the Vice President of India to inaugurate the conference. The Vice President has already levelled various charges against the Constitution of India and the Supreme Court, tarnishing the image of both the Constitution and the Supreme Court. A person with such strong views against the Constitution and the Supreme Court cannot be expected to do justice for state universities and their students.”
However, Sivagnanam argued that this conference is not just a routine event but a political statement aimed at undermining the state government.
He explained, “Dhankhar has already criticised the Supreme Court’s verdicts. By inviting him as the special guest, the intention is to convey a political message: that the We (Governor and the Union government) have not been affected by the verdicts, that we are unaffected by them, and that we have not changed our stance. This arrangement is designed to assert that message.”
Ultimately, the list of attendees at tomorrow’s conference will reveal where the true loyalties of the Vice-Chancellors of Tamil Nadu’s state universities lie.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
