M. Eshwaramoorthy, principal of the Government Arts and Science College in Udhagamandalam, has been appointed Director of Collegiate Education.
Mr. Eshwaramoorthy will have full additional charge of the department and replaces C. Poornachandran, who was holding the post as in-charge. As per the norms, the senior most professor, a serving Principal in Grade 1 government arts and science college, should be appointed to the post. The Higher Education Department should form a panel of five senior-most professors from among whom the candidate is chosen for the post.
However, for over a decade now, selection to the post took a political hue with persons close to the ruling party getting it. As a result, teachers, who were sidelined despite having the requisite qualifications, moved the court.
Wednesday’s government order states that the change had been effected following Madras High Court order. It pertains to a petition from a professor from a Madurai college that the panel to select the candidate for the post of Director of College Education had not been constituted as per norms.
Mr. Poornachandran had replaced Jothi Venkateswaran, who was Joint Director Planning in the directorate. He had been appointed to the post as only in-charge. At that time too, a panel was not formed.
Teachers pointed out that the post demands full attention whereas a person who holds it as additional charge would find it difficult to do justice to it. In Mr. Eshwaramoorthy’s case, he would have to travel between Udhagamandalam and Chennai and divide his attention between his college duties and that of the directorate, the teachers pointed out. This assumes significance as college admissions had begun after the announcement of Class XII results on June 20.
