Do not want confrontation with Governor, but cannot compromise on State’s rights: Tamil Nadu Higher Education Minister

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Call for cooperation: If the Governor functions as per his whim, it will affect governance, says Higher Education Minister P. Viswanathan. | Photo Credit: N. Sai Charan

Tamil Nadu Higher Education Minister P. Viswanathan on Tuesday (June 9, 2026) said that neither he nor the State government sought any confrontation with the Governor. However, the government would not compromise on the State’s autonomy in the appointment of Vice-Chancellors of State universities.

“I can only think of [lyricist] Kannadasan’s lines: Vandi oda chakkarangal irandu mattum vendum; antha irandil onru siriyathendraal entha vandi odum? (A vehicle needs two wheels of equal size; if one is smaller, how can it move?). The Governor and the Chief Minister should work in harmony for the smooth functioning of our universities,” he said in an interview to The Hindu.

Mr. Viswanathan said the previous government may have adopted a confrontational approach towards the Governor. “But our Chief Minister does not want any confrontation. As a Minister, I, too, do not want any confrontation. The matter [of appointment of Vice-Chancellors] is pending before the Supreme Court, and we hope the outcome will be favourable,” he said, expressing confidence that the new Governor would protect the State’s rights.

Contending that the appointment of Vice-Chancellors was directly linked to the State’s autonomy, he said no State government would surrender its rights. “We cannot allow the Governor to encroach upon or usurp the powers of the State,” he said.

Pointing out that the dispute over the appointment of Vice-Chancellors stemmed from the UGC’s mandate to include its nominee in the selection panel, besides the nominees of the syndicate, the State government, and the Governor, Mr. Viswanathan said the Centre was trying to bring higher education under its control through the UGC nominee.

He accused former Governor R.N. Ravi of having issued a notification constituting Vice-Chancellor search committees with a UGC nominee despi