In terms of new UGC circular:

Dons can’t quit admn. posts

Three months’ notice, a must:

Samanmali Priyashanthi

Dons holding administrative positions in universities cannot resign from such positions without giving three months’ prior notice, according to a new circular issued by the University Grants Commission (UGC).

The new circular stipulates that any lecturer holding an administrative position should give three months’ notice to the UGC through the respective Vice Chancellor before resigning his or her position.

A lecturer giving such notice should continue his or her administrative functions until the Vice Chancellor submitted the letter of resignation to the University’s Senate and obtained its approval.

UGC Chairman Prof Gamini Samaranayake said no university lecturer holding administrative positions can resign from such posts abruptly without giving prior notice as stipulated in the new circular.

The new circular was issued to prevent any disruption being caused to the administrative functions of universities. Professor Samaranayake said there is no bar for any lecturer who wanted to go to courts against this new circular.

The new circular has been issued in a legal manner and university lecturers cannot call it illegal since the decision as to whether it is legal or illegal has to be made by the Supreme Court. Prof Samaranayake said the administrative positions of lecturers are not voluntary positions as they have been made by the University Senate.

Lecturers who have already submitted their resignation letters to VCs ignoring the new circular will not be able to hold any post in a university again.

The new circular has empowered Vice Chancellors to appoint new officers to vacant posts and maintain the university administration if any lecturers have resigned their posts ignoring the new circular.

The University Council of Administration meets every Saturday and a decision about lecturers who had submitted resignation letters will be taken at such meetings, he said.