The Higher Education Department in Tamil Nadu had been a virtual battleground of an ideological war between the DMK and the BJP at the Centre, over the past five years. The result has not been pretty.

Whether it is the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for admission to undergraduate and postgraduate medical courses, or the appointment of vice-chancellors to State-run universities, this ideological battle has taken a toll on efforts to keep up the quality of higher education delivered to students in the State.