Chennai: Administrative files at Anna University have reportedly been pending for months awaiting approvals and signatures of senior officials in the absence of a vice-chancellor, affecting the functioning of the institution.

Vice-chancellor posts are vacant in 15 state-run universities in Tamil Nadu, including University of Madras, Anna University, Madurai Kamaraj University and Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, according to reports.

At Anna University, the tenure of Vice-Chancellor Professor Vellraj ended in 2024. Since then, a coordination committee headed by the Higher Education Department Secretary has been overseeing the university's administration.

The committees comprise senior officials and are responsible for taking decisions in universities without vice-chancellors. Anna University's current official website also lists a Convenor Committee headed by the Additional Chief Secretary to the Higher Education Department.

According to the Tamil source, university files have reportedly been awaiting the signatures of members of the coordination committee, including the Director of Technical Education and the Higher Education Secretary, for two to three months.

Files prepared by the university in June, for instance, reportedly received approval only in August.

Professors said prolonged administrative delays were affecting the university's functioning and preventing adequate attention to innovation initiatives. They urged the authorities to fill the vacant vice-chancellor posts at the earliest.