By The Hindu Bureau

Copyright thehindu

A number of applicants for the post of Vice-Chancellor of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Coimbatore, are understood to have their fingers crossed due to apprehensions that an altered stipulation made to the notification on eligibility norms published in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette has disqualified their candidacy.

Out of the five norms, the applicants are concerned about the change made to the third norm which, as per the gazette states: Not less than six years of administrative experience in universities or constituent colleges or publicly-funded research institutions in positions such as Dean, Director, Head of the Department or any other such administrative positions of equal or higher degree of responsibility or in all taken together.

Applicants said they were surprised to find an asterisk mark against “or any other such administrative positions of equal or higher degree of responsibility or in all taken together”, so as to imply that simultaneous discharge of duty in that capacity while in another administrative position will not be considered cumulatively.

There are a little over 40 applicants for the post, and there are many among them who have been put out of reckoning due to the altered stipulation, said a senior professor and one of the applicants.

There is another grey area, according to them. While there is a laid-out selection process for appointment of university officers, no established norms exist for appointment of heads of departments.

The HoDs have always been chosen by the Vice-Chancellors without any selection process, TNAU sources confirmed.

This being the case, a level-playing field does not exist since an applicant who had been a HoD for a department for more than six years edges out the chances of a candidate who had served as a university officer in an administrative position for three years, alongside discharging duties in other higher administrative positions entrusted by ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research) and the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

The applicants are looking for timely intervention by the Agriculture Production Commissioner and Secretary to the Government of Tamil Nadu., to avoid legal complications in future.

Though the process of Vice-Chancellor appointment is at present embroiled in a case questioning legality of the selection committee without presence of UGC nominee in Supreme Court, the applicants are apprehensive that the additional stipulation gives room for filing of more court cases by aggrieved candidates.

R. Thamizh Vendan, TNAU registrar and acting Vice-Chancellor, could not be reached over phone.