Obtaining 12(B) status, as laid down by the University Grants Commission to receive funds for research and infrastructure development, would be the top priority for P Gunasekaran, who assumed office of the vice-chancellor of the 10-year-old Thiruvalluvar University on Monday.
“This will help the university to take a big leap in providing quality higher education, besides paving way for seeking funds form various funding institutions in the country so as to improve the infrastructure and research facilities,” he said.
The university, in 2002, had only three departments - Economics, Chemistry and Zoology - with a sanctioned faculty strength of two lecturers, one reader and one professor.
Later, four more departments were added and the faculty strength was increased to 22 while the non-teaching staff strength rose to 11. In response to the plea made by the TU, two Associate professors and three assistant professors, the State government had sanctioned 10 posts - five associate professors and five assistant professors. “With this, we must be able to obtain the 12(B) status very soon,” Gunasekaran said adding that his first signature after assuming office was on the application to the UGC in this regard.
He said the possibilities of introducing new courses and training programmes focused at generating rural employment, collaboration with other universities for research on local needs, expanding the research faculty and support service to the affiliated colleges would ne explores, thereby elevating TU as one of the best universities in the country.
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