The AUT alleges that the Higher Education Department ignored the issue during the Syndicate meeting at Periyar University.
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The Association of University Teachers (AUT-Tamil Nadu) slammed the Higher Education Department for not taking action on Periyar University Vice-Chancellor Committee member R. Subramani, who applied for the post of Registrar while continuing as a committee member.AUT general secretary K. Raja said the AUT was disappointed on learning that the Syndicate of Periyar University, which met on July 1 in hybrid mode, glossed over the “blatant violation of ethical propriety and conflict of interests” that arise when one of the three members of the VC Committee and a member of the Syndicateare applicants for the post of Registrar.He underlined how a teacher is expected to decline to be the chief superintendent for university examinations when their kin happen to be candidates in the examination. He wanted to know whether such questions of ethical propriety and conflict of interests only apply to college teachers and not professors like the VC Committee member.What the laws saysThe University Act defines the VC, Registrar, Controller of Examinations, Director of Distance Education and Curriculum Development Cell, among others, as ‘officers’ and members of academic bodies, the Senate and the Syndicate as ‘authorities of the university’. As such, an ‘authority’ cannot be an ‘officer’.Alleging that the Higher Education Department ignored the issue at the Syndicate meeting, Mr. Raja said Mr. Subramani, a professor in the Department of Journalism, by virtue of his nomination by the government, found a place in the Syndicate and the VC Committee. Applying for the post of Registrar, an important ‘officer’, while being an ‘authority’ of the university is nothing short of illegality, he added.Mr. Raja pointed out that the Syndicate meeting was attended by the VC Committee Convenor, the Commissioner of Collegiate Education and the Higher Education Secretary.The expected course of action should have been removal of the applicant from the body of authority or rejection of his application for the post of an officer of the university (Registrar) by withdrawing the No-Objection Certificate (NOC) given to him without any reference to the order from the Convenor.The AUT is utterly disappointed to learn that there was only a change of regime but not in attitude. “Unless the current dispensation takes appropriate action, the AUT reserves its rights to proceed with further action, including legal remedy,” Mr. Raja warned.Asked about the issue, Higher Education Secretary V. Arun Roy said that the department did not ignore the issue and that it was discussed. The department wanted to give time to the member concerned (Mr. Subramani) to think and decide his course of action. It is obviously a conflict of interest, so Mr. Subramani will have to choose to be in the VC Committee or to be considered for Registrar, Mr. Roy added. Published - July 02, 2026 08:07 pm IST
