CHENNAI: Online, distance learning (ODL) programmes offered by Periyar University in Salem are invalid, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has announced. In a notification issued on May 27, it also warned students not to sign up for these programmes at the university. The varsity, meanwhile, said it hasn’t violated any norms.
In its notification, the UGC said it learnt that Periyar University doesn’t have a full-time director, and there aren’t enough full-time faculty and non-teaching staff. Besides, it hasn’t established a centre, and is running ODL programmes without the UGC’s approval, in gross violation of the UGC Open and Distance Learning Regulations, the notification said. Details and complaints will be forwarded to the Governor and State higher education secretary for fact-finding and action, the UGC added.
“Taking admission in such programmes may jeopardise the career of the students, in view of the absence of recognition of the programmes by the UGC,” the commission said. It added that Periyar University was recognised by the erstwhile Distance Education Council for the period from 2007-08 to 2014-15, and by the UGC-Distance Education Bureau for 2019-20 (academic session January 2020 only) for offering ODL courses. At a meeting on February 12, the UGC decided not to consider any application from the university for 2022-23 and 2023-24. It also didn’t process the university’s application to offer ODL programmes in 2021-22.
The university reacted to the UGC notification by issuing a statement in which vice-chancellor R Jagannathan said distance education courses are only being offered with UGC permission. “The National Assessment and Accreditation Council held an inspection in the varsity last December. On the basis of research projects, syllabus, welfare measures, infrastructure, the university was granted A++ grade. It secured first place in the State and second place in the country,” said the statement.
The V-C said UGC granted permission to conduct 13 distance education courses for one semester in January, 2020, based on which, only once, students were admitted to the courses. Even in 2021, UGC permitted the varisty to conduct seven courses online, and these are the only courses being offered through distance education, the V-C added.