MADURAI: The appointment of university Vice-Chancellors in Tamil Nadu is coming under very severe scrutiny and criticism from social justice voices because the candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC) were not being taken into consideration.
Sources told ‘Lotus Times’ news website today- on 22nd July 2020- that not a single Dalit- SC candidate was appointed as university Vice-Chancellor (of State universities- govt universities) in Tamil Nadu in the last 15 years except just one varsity (Thiruvalluvar University). “We have the data of 23 Tamil Nadu State universities…….And, there is not even one VC from Dalit background…. from SC…..Only just one university had a VC from SC background despite having eligibility and experience,” a senior Dalit voice with vast academic experience, has said today.
Questions are now being raised whether there was no qualified candidate from SCs to become a university Vice-Chancellor and why Tamil Nadu government had ignored Dalits when it comes to VC appointments. “In this higher education top appointments, there is no representative character followed and hence we appeal that SCs and STs, and minorities should be considered for Vice-Chancellor posts. Our names are not even shortlisted in the applicants list,” a SC professor said on 22nd July 2020.
Now, strong demand is coming that VC post should also be given on rotation basis to the Dalits and minorities- make it in turns- and it will be only on merit, experience and UGC norms. “But we want justice and why not a VC post for us,” an assistant professor from SC community here said today evening.
