Attributing the unprecedented slump to the deteriorating quality of education and severe faculty shortage, the PMK leader, in a statement, urged the state government to immediately fill the vacant assistant professor and principal posts to restore public faith in government institutions.
"It is highly shocking to learn from recent reports that even after the conclusion of the official admission deadline for government Arts and Science colleges in Tamil Nadu, 43 per cent of the seats remain vacant", he said and added, "There was a time when students waited in long queues and prayed for a seat in government colleges. Today, it is deeply concerning that despite multiple extensions and call-outs, students are refusing to join".
Pointing out that under the Department of Higher Education, 181 government Arts and Science colleges are currently functional in Tamil Nadu, offering a total of 1,26,959 seats, the DMK leader said, "while 2.24 lakh students initially applied, the counselling held from June 5 to June 18 saw only 71,502 seats being filled, amounting to just 56.32 per cent "A staggering 43.68 per cent or 55,457 seats remain completely vacant," he claimed.
Anbumani emphasised that the trust of students in government colleges can only be revived by filling the massive vacancies in teaching faculty.
"Alarmingly, no regular recruitment of assistant professors has taken place in government colleges for the last 12 years," he said, adding "although a notification was issued last year to recruit 2,708 assistant professors, only five individuals have been appointed so far.
He demanded that the Tamil Nadu government take immediate steps to fill all vacant assistant professor and principal posts in government Arts and Science colleges. "The government must act swiftly to elevate the quality of education and boost student enrollment", he added.
