CHENNAI: Former chief minister O Panneerselvam on Sunday condemned the state government over the vacant posts of Vice-Chancellor of Anna University, University of Madras and three other universities and demanded the government to act swiftly to fill the vacant posts to ensure quality of education.

The posts of the V-Cs of the University of Madras, Bharathiar University, Madurai Kamaraj University and Tamil Nadu Teacher Education University were lying vacant for months. Now, Anna University has also joined the list.

Governor RN Ravi insisted on forming a four-member V-C search committee, the state government had formed a three-member committee. The tug of war between the Governor and the state government resulted in a stalemate. The issue over constituting the V-C search committee is hampering the process of appointing new V-Cs to these institutions. This shows the TN government’s approach towards the education institutions, he said.

Apart from this, the government had extended services of retired V-Cs of Periyar University, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University and Bharathidasan University. The extension would end shortly. This would further complicate the situation, he said. “The government should expedite the pending case over the issue and fill the vacant posts of the V-Cs at the earliest,” OPS further said.