University of Madras functioning with only 35% permanent faculties

THE number of permanent faculty members in the University of Madras, one of the oldest and among the most prominent universities in India, has dipped to its lowest in the last 10 years with 350 of the total 536 posts lying vacant.

- BINITA JAISWAL

The vicechancellor post of the university, which is reeling under a financial crisis, has been vacant for the past one year.

With two of the university's departments devoid of even one faculty member, staffs of allied departments are being roped in to handle classes, raising serious question on the quality of education, sources said.