Governor Ravi tells T.N. govt. to include UGC Chairman’s nominee in V-C search panel for sports university

Governor R.N. Ravi has called upon the Tamil Nadu government to notify the search committee for the appointment of Vice Chancellor (V-C) of Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University, “as constituted by the Chancellor,” which included the University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman’s nominee, the Raj Bhavan said on Tuesday (March 11, 2025).

Governor R.N. Ravi has called upon the Tamil Nadu government to notify the search committee for the appointment of Vice Chancellor (V-C) of Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University, “as constituted by the Chancellor,” which included the University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman’s nominee, the Raj Bhavan said on Tuesday (March 11, 2025).

Though the Chancellor in October 2024 directed the State government to notify the constitution of the search committee with four members, including the UGC Chairman’s nominee, the G.O. issued by the Youth Welfare and Sports Development Department on January 28, 2025, “purposefully excluded the UGC Chairman’s nominee, in violation of the judgements of Hon’ble Supreme Court of India,” the Raj Bhavan said.

The notifications issued by the State government was “in difference to the Search Committees constituted and is void ab initio; being contrary to the existing UGC regulations and prevailing orders of the Supreme Court of India,” it contended.

“The Chancellor has called upon the Government of Tamil Nadu, to recall the said notifications, which is in difference to the Search Committees, constituted and sent for issuing notification and directed to notify the Search Committees for appointment of the Vice Chancellor of Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University (Chennai), as constituted by the Chancellor, which includes the UGC Chairman’s nominee,” an official communication from the Raj Bhavan stated.

It further pointed out that the Supreme Court of India had held in the case of Prof. (Dr) Sreejith P.S. Vs. Dr. Rajasree M.S. & Others that any appointment as a Vice Chancellor made on the recommendation of the search committee, which was constituted contrary to the provisions of the UGC Regulations, shall be void ab initio.

The search committee constituted by the Chancellor was as per the provision of Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University Act as well as prevailing regulations of UGC, 2018, it pointed out. “The inclusion of UGC Chairman’s nominee in the Search Committee of State Universities are held to be mandatory by the Supreme Court.”