CHENNAI: The University of Madras has postponed its key Senate meeting scheduled for Thursday, days after the Syndicate approved a two-year extension to the tenure of Registrar Prof Dr Rita John.
In an official notice, the university said the annual Senate meeting slated for July 30 had been postponed and that a revised date would be announced later.
The postponement assumes significance as the Syndicate's decision to extend the Registrar's tenure requires ratification by the Senate. University sources said the Senate is likely to meet within the next 10 days, when the proposal is expected to be placed for approval.
Prof Dr Rita John took charge as Registrar in June 2025 for an initial one-year term, at a time when the university was functioning without a Vice-Chancellor. At its meeting on Monday, the Syndicate is learnt to have approved extending her tenure by another two years.
The Senate has not met for more than a year due to a pending court case. A section of faculty members had earlier opposed the extension, arguing that several administrative matters were pending before the Senate and that granting an extension before convening the statutory body was inappropriate.
University sources, however, maintained that the Senate meeting would be convened within the next 10 days, after which the proposal to ratify the Registrar's extension would be taken up.