Anna University Yet to Appoint Full-Time Exam Controller a Year After Selection Process

The delay has raised concerns among university professors, particularly as the institution is also functioning without a Vice-Chancellor. The vacancies have brought renewed attention to administrative continuity and the appointment of key officials at the state’s premier technical university.

The Controller of Examinations oversees several critical academic functions, including question paper preparation, semester examinations, answer script evaluation and re-totalling. The role is central to ensuring the smooth conduct of examinations and coordinating academic processes across the university and its affiliated institutions.

Under university rules, the Controller of Examinations occupies the third position in the administrative hierarchy, after the Vice-Chancellor and the Registrar.

Extensive Examination Responsibilities

The examination department oversees academic assessment across four university campus colleges, 16 constituent colleges and more than 400 affiliated private engineering colleges.

Managing semester examinations across such a large network requires extensive coordination between the university and individual institutions, making the Controller’s position particularly significant.

Faculty members have expressed concern over the prolonged reliance on an officer in charge to manage a department with responsibilities affecting thousands of engineering students.

Selection Process Completed, Appointment Pending

According to sources, Anna University invited applications from eligible candidates for the full-time post approximately a year ago. Seven applicants subsequently appeared for interviews, following which one candidate was shortlisted.

The interviews were conducted by a university convener committee that included IAS officer Innocent Dhivya, who was then serving as Director of Technical Education.

Despite the completion of the interview process and the shortlisting of a candidate, no appointment has been made so far.

Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor had the authority to appoint a full-time Controller of Examinations. Last year, however, the university adopted an interview-based selection process to fill the position.

The current concern centres on the delay between completing the selection exercise and issuing the appointment.

Leadership Vacancies Raise Administrative Concerns

The continued absence of a regular Controller of Examinations has prolonged uncertainty over the functioning of a department responsible for essential academic operations.

With the Vice-Chancellor’s post also vacant, the pending appointment has added to concerns about leadership continuity and the timely filling of senior administrative positions at Anna University.

The reasons for the delay in finalising the appointment were not specified in the available information.