KOZHIKODE: 30 students from the Calicut University regional centre in Perambra have lodged a complaint against a private institute based in Kozhikode alleging that the institute has been running illegal postgraduate courses in collaboration with a university based in Rajasthan. Several government officials obtain PG ‘regular’ certificates for promotion in services from the institute, allege the students.
In their letter to the chief minister, the students alleged that the Pope Benedict School of Psychology and Education situated at Pastoral and Missionary Orientation Centre (PMOC) at Vellimadukunnu in Kozhikode has been offering online MSW, MSc in Guidance and Counselling, and PhD in Psychology and MSc in Counselling Psychology without adhering to the UGC regulations. The institute also has a branch in Kasaragod.
According to the complainants, though the institute holds online classes only on second Saturday and Sundays, it provides ‘regular’ certificates. “The course fee per year is Rs 80,000 for each student. Also, only objective-type questions are asked for the examinations. As MSc in Counselling Psychology students of Calicut University, we have to attend regular classes with field work, participate in observation visits and appear for offline examinations and internal assessment to complete our course. Providing a certificate without following the standard procedures is unfair,” the students wrote.
Many of the students who enrol in these courses are government officials who require a postgraduate degree for promotion, the complaint said. It added that private universities which are formed under the state Act operate within the boundaries of the respective state where it was launched. “Since the institute is not situated in the state of Rajasthan, this should be banned immediately,” it said.
The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) forwarded the complaint to the additional chief secretary, higher education department to probe the matter. It is learnt that the complaint is being processed by section B of the higher education department, Thiruvananthapuram.
Reacting to the complaint, Minister for Higher Education Bindu R said, “Only those online courses that match 60% or above of the contents of the syllabus of any university in the state will be given equivalency certificate. Since the higher education department has received the complaint, the department will investigate it in detail.”
At the same time, K Manikandan, head of the department of psychology, Calicut University, said there has been a spike in demand for online courses since the pandemic outbreak. “However, students have to be careful and cross-check the employability of the courses and the universities they enrol in.
“There are 53 streams of study under psychology. Since no registration is required for counselling psychology unlike clinical psychologists and practitioners of mental health in India, many are misusing this opportunity. Though we tried to modify our course to facilitate online learning in Calicut University, it was not possible. Counselling psychology cannot be taught in this mode,” said Manikandan.
Responding to the allegation, institute director Kurian Puramadom said they have collaborated with Singhania University.
“We have all valid documents as proof. The course is yet to receive the equivalency certificate from the Kerala government. Right now, there is only one batch of students for MSc in Counselling Psychology. Most of them are employed. The institution offers first-class training,” said Puramadom.
Only those online courses that match 60% or above of the contents of the syllabus of any university in the state will be given equivalency certificate. Since the higher education department has received the complaint, the department will investigate it in detail
Bindu R, Higher Education Minister