Overview
- Rashtrapati Bhavan informed Tamil Nadu that the President withheld assent and returned the 2022 amendment bill without stating reasons.
- The measure sought to replace “Chancellor” with “Government” in Section 11 of the Madras University Act to shift vice-chancellor appointments to the state executive.
- Governor R. N. Ravi had reserved the bill for presidential consideration after delaying it for over a year, citing conflicts with UGC regulations and established norms.
- Officials say the bill has gone back to the Tamil Nadu Assembly for reconsideration as the government studies next steps, with the Higher Education Minister saying the Chief Minister will decide.
- Ruling-party leaders criticized the move as partisan while BJP leaders defended it, as universities continue to operate without regular vice-chancellors, with roughly 14 of 22 run by convenor committees.