T.N. asked to decide on IoE status to Anna University by May 31
HRD Ministry willing to grant time if the State govt. responds, says official
by R. SujathaThe Ministry for Human Resource Development has not received any communication from Tamil Nadu on awarding the Institution of Eminence status to Anna University, according to Union Higher Education Secretary Amit Khare.
“We are waiting for a reply from the Tamil Nadu government. In view of the COVID-19 situation, we had requested Tamil Nadu government to send its reply by May 31,” Mr. Khare told The Hindu.
When pointed out that the State government was still coping with COVID-19 and whether the Ministry would consider extending the deadline, Mr. Khare said, “We are yet to hear from the State government. If they request, we may extend time.”
Responding to the political apprehension that accepting the IoE status could disrupt the reservation in admissions to the premier university, he said the State government had never raised the issue with the Ministry.
By not responding to the Ministry’s letters, the State government could lose an opportunity of helping Anna University reach greater heights, Mr. Khare said.
The HRD Ministry had written several letters to the State government on the issue. In its latest communication, it had asked the State government to respond by May 31, failing which another State would be offered the chance.
V-C met CM
Last week, Anna University Vice-Chancellor M.K. Surappa had met the Chief Minister and the group of five Ministers, constituted to examine the issue and made a presentation. Secretaries of several departments were present at the meeting.
Prof. Surappa has said that the university was financially robust and would not depend on the State to fulfil one of the conditions that the State government should share half the burden of the grant of ₹500 crore.
Earlier this month, the College of Engineering alumni, including former and present bureaucrats, had written to the Chief Minister urging him to take up the Centre’s offer.
The HRD Minister was likely to hold a meeting this week, the sources added.
The delay had led to the speculation among senior academicians that the State was not interested in pursuing the Ministry's proposal.