Strengthening Higher Education Governance in Tamil Nadu
Keywords:
Higher education governance, Tamil Nadu public universities, vice-chancellor vacancies, constitutional feder- alism, Concurrent List, State List devolution, academic autonomy, institutional financing, faculty shortages, National Education Policy (NEP), educational policy alignment, federal-state conflict, governance institutional- ism, qualitative policy analysis, comparative education systems, decentralization reformsAbstract
Tamil Nadu's higher education system is grappling with a complex governance crisis, marked by prolonged administrative vacancies in 12 out of 22 public universities, severe financial losses exceeding ₹8,000 crores in accumulated deficits, and a constitutional-political deadlock between gubernatorial chancellorships and state legislatures that has effectively stifled institutional autonomy. Despite notable quantitative successes, such as a Gross Enrolment Ratio of 47% and initiatives like the Pudhumai Penn scheme, which has doubled female participation from 2.09 lakh to 4.06 lakh (2022-2025), deep-rooted structural issues threaten long-term viability. This qualitative analysis explores the relationship between encroachments on the Concurrent List, financial instability, and the erosion of autonomy through secondary sources, including policy statements, judicial rulings, and institutional audits (2020-2026). By employing thematic content analysis, the study uncovers how constitutional federalism and excessive central regulation have led to administrative stagnation, faculty demoralization, and a sharp decline in research quality. Structural changes are essential to transform quantitative enrolment achievements into qualitative excellence and equitable access.
