Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi has directed the state government to either include a nominee from the University Grants Commission (UGC) in search committees for university vice-chancellor (VC) appointments or halt the selection process. The Governor, who also serves as the Chancellor of state universities, cited the need to uphold constitutional propriety and the autonomy of higher education institutions.
UGC Mandate Ignored
The Governor’s office stated that UGC Regulations, 2018, mandate the inclusion of a UGC Chairman’s nominee on search-cum-selection panels. These regulations are binding, superseding conflicting state laws, according to a Supreme Court ruling in the case of Professor Serenity P.S. vs Rajasree & others. The court has declared that VC appointments made without adhering to UGC Regulations are invalid from the start.
State Amendments Under Scrutiny
Governor Ravi noted historical appointment procedures. He indicated that recent amendments to state university acts altered the appointing authority from the Chancellor to the Government. These amendments are currently under challenge in court. The Madras High Court has placed a stay on these amendments, specifically those that transfer VC appointment powers from the Chancellor to the Government.
Legal Battles Over VC Appointments
The Governor highlighted ongoing legal disputes. The state government filed a Special Leave Petition in 2025 with the Supreme Court challenging interim orders from the Madras High Court concerning the constitution of search committees for Bharathiar, Bharathidasan, and Periyar Universities. These cases are still pending.
Despite these pending cases, the state government issued an order on December 22, 2025 . This order extended the tenure of the existing search committees until March 21, 2026 , to recommend VC candidates. The Governor expressed serious concern that these committees are operating without the required UGC nominee.
Committee Actions Deemed Unlawful
The Governor’s release further stated that search committees formed by the government for Periyar University and Bharathidasan University have already held interactions with shortlisted candidates. These interactions took place on January 24 and January 27, respectively. The Governor considers these committees to be unlawfully constituted and their actions to be without legal standing.