Periyar University shows favouritism, hides vital information to Higher Education Department, academicians allege

Academicians alleged that the Periyar University administration showed partiality towards teachers and hid vital information in the Syndicate meeting to save a teacher whose appointment is under question.

In the 118th Syndicate meeting of Periyar University held on November 19, 2025, the University passed a resolution to permit J. Venkatachalam, head of the Psychology Department, to retire from service on April 30, 2026, due to superannuation.

Periyar University faculty members said that it looked like a normal resolution, but the Syndicate minute did not provide proper information to the Syndicate and to the Higher Education Department that the Local Fund Audit department objected to the appointment of the professor concerned in 2015-16, as the professor did not fulfil the basic requirements as per the University Grants Commission Regulation 2010.

In 2021, the DVAC registered a criminal case and it recorded that the recruitment of Mr. Venkatachalam violated the rules and regulations and the case is under investigation.

The Association of University Teachers (AUT) Tamil Nadu former president K. Pandiyan said that after undergoing the necessary procedure in preparing the agenda for the Syndicate, the Vice-Chancellor Convenor Committee had to place the entire matter related to an individual, including all kinds of pending departmental proceedings, criminal cases, and LF audit objections, before the Syndicate, which is the statutory rule.

These facts are essential to aid the Syndicate in interpreting the other relevant facts and lead to decide as per law in the particular matter. Misguiding the Syndicate to pass a resolution and misusing the process of the Syndicate with an intent to tarnish its image in the public is a commission of contempt, Professor Pandiyan added.

Charging that the Periyar University’s present administration shows partiality among teachers, Mr. Pandiyan said that in the same Syndicate meeting, the University placed another agenda regarding the retirement of an assistant professor, Vaithianathan, in the Economics Department. In those Syndicate minutes, the University clearly mentioned details of a case he filed against the University in court, an interim stay for a departmental inquiry against him and said the University will take a decision on CPS after obtaining concurrence from the LF audit.

But the same administration did not even mention any allegations against Mr. Venkatachalam in the agenda while his appointment is a question. We suspect there is something fishy in this issue. The government should look into the issue and take action on officials concerned in this issue who misguided the Syndicate, Mr. Pandiyan added.

When contacted, one of the Vice-Chancellor Convenor Committee member, who requested anonymity, said that the appointments made during the said period were under the scanner of DVAC. Six months before the retirement procedures started, Mr. Venkatachalam’s matter was at the preliminary stage only. The DVAC cases or LF audit objections would be received by the section concerned and then only the final decision on retirement would be taken, the member added.