Chennai: An understanding has been reached with Governor Rajendra Arlekar on the appointment of vice-chancellors to state universities, Higher Education Minister P Viswanathan said on Wednesday, adding that another round of discussions is expected next week.
He was speaking to reporters after honouring 627 students at National Education Day and National Urdu Day celebrations at the University of Madras.
Viswanathan said he met the Governor last week along with School Education Minister A Rajmohan and Speaker J C D Prabhakar. He declined to disclose the details, saying the government would make them public once the arrangement is finalised.
Around 14 state universities are functioning without regular vice-chancellors amid a long dispute between the state government and the Governor over the constitution of search committees for V-C appointments, which began during the previous DMK regime. Legal proceedings are still pending.
In the interim, the government has appointed senior professors to discharge V-C responsibilities at some universities. The minister clarified that these are not permanent appointments and the professors can be relieved at any time.
'Regular vice-chancellors are needed for university administration to settle down. The understanding will be given final shape next week,' Viswanathan said.
The Raj Bhavan has not yet responded officially on the matter.
Student groups have demanded that V-C appointments be completed at the earliest, alleging that decisions on admissions, examinations and syllabus changes are held up under the interim arrangement.
The higher education department also referred to the hearings under way in court.
The standoff dates to the previous DMK regime, and the two sides have not agreed since on how search committees should be formed. Last week's meeting is the first sign of a way out, and a final formula would clear the way for regular vice-chancellors in 14 universities.