Tamil Nadu Gov reconstitutes varsity search committee

Chennai: State Governor R N Ravi, in his capacity as Chancellor of Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University in Chennai, has reconstituted the search committee for identification of Vice Chancellor, by including the UGC chairman’s nominee to the panel, and directed the State government to notify it in the official gazette.

A press release from Raj Bhavan said on Tuesday that the Supreme Court had held that the nominee of the UGC chairman should be part of the search committees to identify VCs of universities.

Since the Government Order issued by the Youth Welfare and Sports Development Department – G O (Ms) No13, dated January, 28, 2025 – and published in the official gazette – had ‘purposefully excluded the UGC Chairman’s nominee, in violation of the judgements of Hon’ble Supreme Court of India,’ the Governor had constituted the new committee, the release said.

The new Search Committee, constituted as per provisions of Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University Act and as per prevailing regulations of UGC, 2018, had the nominees of the Chancellor, the State Government, the Syndicate of the University and the UGC Chairman, the release added.

The Governor had also called upon the State Government to recall the old notifications, which were void ab initio as they did not adhere to the existing UGC regulations and prevailing orders of the Supreme Court, the release said.

The Supreme Court had held in the case of Prof (Dr) Sreejith P S vs Dr Rajasree M S & Others (Civil Appeal numbers 7634- 7635 of 2022, SLP(c) Nos, 21108-21109 of 2021) that any appointment to the post of Vice Chancellor made on the recommendation of a Search Committee that was constituted contrary to the provisions of the UGC Regulations shall be void ab initio, the release added.