Date:26/05/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/26/stories/2008052650540200.htm

Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore

Association flays Minister

Staff Reporter

COIMBATORE: The Association of University Teachers of the PSG College of Arts and Science has reacted to the comments made in the assembly by Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudy on May 14 regarding converting the PSG institutions and the Thyagaraja College in Madurai into universities.

According to a release from the chairman of the unit, N. Thirugnanasambandam, the statistics that the Minister had presented were false. “He has stated that in the institutions only seven courses were aided, while 42 were self-financing. The truth is that there are 37 aided courses. This is to mislead the people,” he said.

“There are nearly 5,000 students studying here who are benefiting from the Government assistance. Of them, 900 belong to the Scheduled Castes / Scheduled Tribes, 1,000 are from the Most Backward Community and 2,600 are from the Backward Community. As many as 247 teaching staff and 110 non-teaching staff enjoy the salary and pensionery benefits of the Government,” he added.

The association has condemned the inaccurate statements of the minister at the meeting convened on May 23. Representatives from employees associations of LIC, TNGEA, CPM, DYFI, SFI and Government Medical Administration Employees Association, took part in the meeting to show their solidarity.