Tamil Nadu Vice-Chancellors meet: Raj Bhavan says no power struggle with state
The Tamil Nadu Governor's office strongly denied allegations of a political tussle with the state government, clarifying that the upcoming Vice-Chancellors' conference in Ooty on April 25 and 26 is a long-standing academic initiative and not a reaction to recent political developments.In a press release issued on Tuesday, Raj Bhavan dismissed media reports that portrayed the annual academic conference as a power move in response to the recent Supreme Court verdict limiting gubernatorial discretion over state legislation.advertisement'These reports are entirely erroneous and mischievous,' the statement read, terming the allegations 'scandalous and far from truth.'
The controversy stems from the timing of Governor RN Ravi's announcement of the annual Vice-Chancellors' meet, which follows a landmark Supreme Court verdict that curbed the powers of state Governors by setting a three-month deadline for clearing state legislation. In Tamil Nadu, the judgment had direct implications: ten Bills — many of them seeking to strip the Governor of the Chancellor role in state universities — were deemed to have received assent.Shortly after the verdict, Chief Minister MK Stalin convened a high-level meeting with Vice-Chancellors and Registrars. The session focused on future-ready academic reforms, enhanced inclusivity, and transforming Tamil Nadu's higher education institutions into global research hubs. Stalin emphasised that Tamil Nadu's education model, despite not adopting the National Education Policy (NEP), had already surpassed its targets, with a Gross Enrollment Ratio of 51.3 per cent — nearly double the national average.advertisementAgainst this backdrop, the Governor's call for a separate Vice-Chancellors' conference raised eyebrows and drew sharp criticism from opposition parties. Tamil Nadu Congress president K Selvaperunthagai accused the Governor of defying the spirit of the apex court's ruling. 'The Governor should have resigned after the verdict. Holding a meet now disrespects the Constitution,' he posted on social media.CPI(M) state secretary P Shanmugam was more scathing, calling for a boycott of the Ooty conference and branding Ravi an 'RSS agent.' He noted that the state legislature had already acted to remove the Governor's oversight in university appointments, arguing that holding the event now was 'unconstitutional.'However, the Raj Bhavan has rebutted these claims by pointing out that the annual academic meet has been held every April since 2022. 'Preparations for this year's conference began in January itself, with several meetings held to make it more productive,' the statement read. It emphasised that the conference aims to bring together leaders from academia and industry to explore ways to improve student outcomes and academic excellence across the state's higher education landscape.'Earlier, State Universities largely functioned in silos, to the disadvantage of our students and institutions. These conferences have changed that, facilitating dialogue and cooperation,' the release added.advertisementThe Governor's office stressed that the event is not politically motivated but instead part of a structured and recurring effort to address evolving challenges in education, science, and technology. 'It is unfortunate that some ill-informed media reports have twisted this academic exercise and wrongly linked it with a recent Court judgment,' the release concluded.
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