Chennai, May 5 (BPNS)

Amid the Tamil Nadu government’s face off with the state Governor, over the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) and issues related to the appointment of Vice-Chancellors, the state minister for law, S. Regupathy, tabled a bill in the legislative assembly to empower the state government to appoint the Vice-Chancellor of the Dr. Ambedkar Law University. The bill was tabled in the state legislative assembly on Thursday.

The new bill tabled in the house is in addition to the two bills that sought to empower itself to appoint  Vice Chancellors of 13 state universities.

The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M.K. Stalin had earlier contended in the state assembly that during the past four years the Governor without consulting the state government was functioning as if he has the exclusive right to appoint the Vice Chancellors.

Stalin has in the state assembly earlier said, “ The state government is not able to appoint the VCs for universities under its control and this has led to various confusions and has gone against the ideals of democracy.”

It is to be noted that while the 13 state universities for which two bills were passed earlier for the appointment of VCs are under the aegis of the Tamil Nadu higher education department, the Dr. Ambedkar Law University is under the Law department.

 The state law minister, S. Reghupathy while tabling the bill cited the Gujarat Universities Act 1949 and the Telangana (Andhra Pradesh ) Universities Act 1991.

The two universities Act had empowered the respective state governments to appoint the Vice Chancellors. The bill also brought into notice the Karnataka Universities Act 2000 according to which the Chancellor will appoint the Vice-Chancellor with the concurrence of the State Government.

It is to be noted that at present the state Governor who is also the Chancellor of the State Universities makes the appointment of the Vice-Chancellors from a panel of three names recommended by a selection committee.