COIMBATORE: More than 40 faculty members of Bharathiar University on Monday held a sit-in protest outside the registrar’s office alleging that their long-pending grievances were not heard.Bharathiar University Teachers Association (BHUTA) president Dr K Vasanth said several issues concerning teaching staff had remained unresolved for years. He pointed to vacant syndicate member positions reserved for associate and assistant professors, lying unfilled since 2023, and delays in interviews under the Career Advancement Scheme (CAS) for eligible faculty promotions. He alleged that recommended norms were not followed in dean appointments.Dr Vasanth said the protest was triggered when a BHUTA delegation went to meet registrar R Rajavel in his office and was allegedly asked to leave without their concerns being heard. The association then began a sit-in protest in the hall outside the registrar’s chamber, demanding justice and immediate action.BHUTA sought early implementation of a file tracking system as per a government order and urged adoption of a rotation policy for heads of departments, directors and deans who have completed three years in their posts. The association requested appointment of faculty-in charge in key administrative sections such as establishment, finance to ease workload and reduce delays, citing Thiruvalluvar University as a precedent. It further highlighted staff shortage, stating that only 90 are working against 430 sanctioned non-teaching posts, and sought transfers of non-teaching staff who have remained in the same section for three to 10 years.Registrar Rajavel said he was in office and hearing grievances. He said preliminary scrutiny under CAS had been completed for 174 candidates, and special committees would be formed for the next stage, adding that further steps required government approval and could take time.
