Tamil Nadu's Aided College Teachers’ Association has appealed to Governor RN Ravi to intervene and ensure that Periyar University reconsiders the eligibility criteria for senior administrative positions in the university, The Hindu reported. The association has cited notifications advertised by the university on December 15 for the post of Registrar, Controller of Examinations and the Director of the Periyar Institute of Distance Education (PRIDE). It contended that the advertisements were in violation of the norms of the University Grants Commission.

The advertisements for the posts have sought applications only from candidates who are “academician not lower in rank than that of a professor of a college/university”. The associations' General Secretary T Balasaravanan said that this is in violation of the UGC regulations and the established eligibility norms followed by other state universities.

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In its letter to the Governor, the association said there was no professor cadre in colleges. “All universities of our state are appointing experienced and eligible associate professors in the above mentioned posts. Moreover, the latest UGC regulations dated July 8, 2018, for the appointment of Vice-Chancellor and other posts stipulates 10 years of experience as professor in university or 10 years of experience in a reputed research/academic administrative organisation,” the letter stated. The current notification by the university had denied the chance to the eligible academicians and associate professors from colleges and other research organisations, Balasaravanan added.