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Appointment of Dean for the Faculty of Arts in Bharathiar University ‘outside core discipline’ has come under fire from BHUTA (Bharathiar University Teachers’ Association).

Questioning the university administration’s recent appointment of a faculty member from the discipline of Management Studies to the post; decrying delay in redressing grievances pertaining to CAS (Career Advancement Scheme); and highlighting several other pending issues, BHUTA members on Monday staged a sit-in protest in the lobby the Registrar’s Chamber.

The Registrar, R. Rajavel, had reasoned out that the senior-most faculty member within the Arts disciplines P. Nagaraj, Professor and Head, Department of English, who was a contender could not be considered for Deanship, citing a precedent of the post being in the reckoning only for those who could serve their three-year tenure before attaining 58 years of age.

The date of retirement for Prof. Nagaraj was December 31, 2028, it was pointed out.

BHUTA functionaries responded to this by demanding to know the Acts and Statutes of the University that specifies this norm. “We decided to conduct the protest in the lobby after the Registrar initially refused to meet a delegation and listen to our grievances. The appointment of the Dean for the Faculty of Arts by the Registrar was a clear act of favouritism,” said BHUTA president K. Vasanth.

In a representation to the Secretary of Higher Education, Prof. Nagaraj said “appointing a faculty member outside the core discipline departs from established academic regulations and conventional administrative practices regarding seniority and deanship rotation”.

Terming the appointment “an improper precedent that undermines the regulatory framework of our university academia”, Prof. Nagaraj said “adhering strictly to established statutes and seniority criteria is essential for institutional integrity and equity across departments”.

Published - July 27, 2026 07:29 pm IST