Registrar retires, testing time for Madras University

With the absence of a Vice Chancellor for over 13 months after R Thandavan’s term ended, the exit of Registrar David Jawahar has added to worries over how the administration would be carried out.   Professor and Head of Department of Politics and Public Adminsitration R Manivannan said, “It was definitely a challenging term for Jawahar. From January 2016 until now, the University has not had a Vice Chancellor, which shows a deep neglect on the state of education.” 

However, the much-delayed appointment must not be made political, he cautioned. On the long delayed appointment of a Vice Chancellor, a Syndicate member who is a Principal of a city college said, “We have no idea. We have asked ministers and bureaucrats to make a speedy appointment and have raised the issue in the Syndicate and Senate in the past.” He spoke on condition of anonymity. However, officials say the delay was a government decision. 

According to one of the three- member Convenor Committee, “As of now our priority is to conduct the convocation of students which has been long pending”. A head of the department in the varsity said, “By April the academic year comes to an end. By July the next year’s classes must begin. In between these few months the University must issue mark sheets, conduct convocation and admit new students. It is a lot of administrative work and the presence of a Vice Chancellor is required. At the Taramani and Guindy campuses there are buildings on which crores have been invested and are left without  even being inaugurated.”