Disapproving of the Tamil Nadu government’s constitution and extension of search committees for appointment of Vice-Chancellors of State universities, the Lok Bhavan, on Monday (February 2, 2026), contended the action of the State government was contrary to judicial orders.
Referring to pendency of certain proceedings, the Tamil Nadu government orders were issued on December 22 in 2025 extending the tenure of the search committees and granting further time up to March 21 this year to recommend panel of names for appointment to the post of Vice-Chancellor, the Lok Bhavan said in an official release.
Moreover, the search committee which were “unlawfully constituted” by the government for Periyar University and Bharathidasan University have conducted interactions with the shortlisted candidates for selection of the Vice-Chancellor on January 24, 2026 and January 27, 2026 respectively, it said.
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The Lok Bhavan further stated it considered that “executive actions taken during the pendency of matters before the courts, particularly when interim orders are in force, attract the doctrine of lis pendens. The action of the State Government in extending the term of the Search Committees when the lis is pending and the functioning of the Search Committees like interaction with the shortlisted candidates transgress into the orders of the courts and goes against the spirit of such orders.”
In these circumstances, the continuation of the selection process by the present Search Committees, in their existing composition, was “not legally sustainable and is contrary to the spirit of the binding judicial pronouncements,” the Lok Bhavan said. “Any further proceedings pursuant to such a process are liable to be rendered invalid, apart from leading to avoidable legal and administrative complications for the State Government and the Universities concerned.”
The Governor-Chancellor has requested the Government of Tamil Nadu to issue immediate orders to include the nominee of the Chairman, UGC in the search committee as originally recommended by the Governor-Chancellor or to place the functioning of such search committees and all ongoing proceedings for the selection and appointment of Vice-Chancellors in abeyance forthwith, until the matter is decided by the Supreme Court, the Lok Bhavan said. The Governor-Chancellor “reiterates his commitment to upholding constitutional propriety, the rule of law, the autonomy and high academic standards of State Universities.”
The press release by the Lok Bhavan said it sought to “place on record the factual and legal position relating to the constitution of Search Committees” for recommending panel of names for appointment to the post of Vice-Chancellors to certain State Universities, namely Bharathiar University, Bharathidasan University and Periyar University and the extension of term given to these search committees.
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The UGC (Minimum Qualifications for Appointment of Teachers and other Academic Staff in Universities and Colleges and Measures for the Maintenance of Standards in Higher Education) Regulations, 2018, which have statutory force, mandated that search-cum-selection committees for recommending a panel of names for appointment to the post of Vice-Chancellors shall include a nominee of the Chairman, University Grants Commission, it pointed out.
“The binding nature of these regulations and their supremacy over conflicting State enactments has been conclusively affirmed by the Supreme Court of India in the case of Professor (Dr.) Serenity P.S. vs. Dr. Rajasree & Ors, and Consistently followed in its latest decision on January 30, 2026 in the case of Dr. S. Mohan Vs the Secretary to the Chancellor, Puducherry Technological University, Puducherry. The Hon’ble Court has declared that any appointment of a Vice-Chancellor made on the recommendation of a Search Committee constituted contrary to the UGC Regulations would be void ab initio,” the Lok Bhavan said.
“Under the respective State University Acts, the Governor of Tamil Nadu functions as the Chancellor of State Universities. Historically Vice-Chancellors have been appointed by the Chancellor from panels of three names recommended by duly constituted Search Committees, in conformity with statutory provisions.” The Government made some amendments in the University Acts vide ‘Tamil Nadu Act No. 16 of 2025’, replacing the expression ‘Chancellor’ by the expression ‘Government’ and therefore, the appointing authority of Vice-Chancellors of State Universities henceforth to be the government, it recalled.
The said Act was under challenge and the Madras High Court has granted a stay in so far as they take away the power of appointment of the Vice-Chancellors from the hands of the Chancellor and vest the same with the government, the Lok Bhavan pointed out.
A writ petition in W.P.(C) No.1271 of 2023 has been filed by Tamil Nadu government before the Supreme Court, challenging the notifications issued by the Governor-Chancellor dated September 6, 2023 relating to the constitution of search-cum-selection committees for three State universities. The government has further modified the prayer to declare that the sub-clause (ii) of Regulation 7.3 of the UGC Regulations, 2018 (which mandates the inclusion of one member nominated by the Chairman, University Grants Commission to the search-cum-selection-committee for selection of Vice-Chancellors of State universities) as ultra-vires of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956 and does not bind the State University Acts.
The government of Tamil Nadu has also filed a Special Leave Petition (C) No.17220 of 2025 before the Supreme Court against the interim order of the Madras High Court and the same was pending consideration before the apex court. The Tamil Nadu Government has also filed a transfer petition (Civil) No. 1511 of 2025 before the Supreme Court with a prayer to transfer the W.P. No. 18374 of 2025 presently pending on the file of Madras High Court, it said.
“The interim orders of the Madras High Court continue to be in force and related proceedings are pending before the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India. It is a matter of serious concern that these committees have been constituted and are functioning without a nominee of the Chairman, University Grants Commission (UGC), which is a mandatory requirement under the prevailing UGC Regulations, 2018 governing the appointment of Vice-Chancellors,” the Lok Bhavan contended.
Published – February 02, 2026 05:27 pm IST
