MADURAI: Distinguished academician and former Vice Chancellor of the prestigious Anna University in Chennai-Prof.E.Balagurusamy- had urged Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Mr.M.K.Stalin to immediately appoint Vice-Chancellors in all vacant universities in the State and also to fill Registrar and Finance Officer posts with regular appointments.
In his appeal letter to the CM on January 17th 2026 which was released to the media yesterday, he pointed out that higher education in Tamil Nadu is at a breakpoint and it calls for an urgent immediate intervention from the State government.
“More than 14 State universities are functioning without Vice-Chancellors for prolonged periods. Many varsities also lack regular Registrars and Finance Officers. This prolonged leadership vacuum in our State universities in Tamil Nadu has paralyzed decision-making process, weakened accountability and eroded the institutions’ credibility. So, I earnestly urge the State government to immediately appoint VCs and also release funds to ensure timely payment of salaries and pensions to thwe staff,” Prof.E.Balagurusamy has appealed in his letter to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister.
He expressed concern that absence of top heads in universities is crippling day-to-day governance, academic planning and execution because varsities cannot be run indefinitely through ad-hoc arrangements.
Prof.E.Balagurusamy had taken the current plight of State universities to the CM’s attention by urging him to resume faculty recruitment, promotions with delay for the existing faculty, invest funds for research and ensure time bound governance mechanism in university campuses.
“This is a situation occuring for first time in Tamil Nadu’s higher education. Inaction will lead to irreversible damage to our State’s intellectual and human capital. It is time to revive State universities in Tamil Naduand take action to restore the lost glory because a serious blow to our State’s reputation took place and Tamil Nadu was once a national leader in higher education, but unfortunately there is now a fall in varsity rankings which ultimately affect students’ future,” the former Vice-Chancellor of Anna University had cautioned in his appeal letter to the Chief Minister on January 17th 2026 and this assumes significance because the State is going for Assembly elections very soon.
