COIMBATORE: In yet another controversial move, Bharathiar University has decided to renew a Memorandum of Understanding it entered into with a private person from Bangalore, for coordination with its distance education study centres across the country. Academics, who condemned the university’s decision, have also demanded it be withdrawn.
In June 2011, Bharathiar University entered into a MOU with a private person from a Bangalore-based centre, for acting as national coordinator of its study centres across the country. The private person gets 2 percent of total tuition fee payable by students, as service charge.
The move was criticised by the academic community at that time itself. They question the need for the university to engage a private person for the purpose.
The MOU expired on April 15, after its three year validity. But, the university at its recent syndicate meeting decided to renew the MOU.
Aided College Teachers Association (ACTA) president A Raja said, “ACTA strongly objects the Bharathiar University syndicate decision on May 23, granting approval to renew the MOU entered into with the Bangalore-based private person. We urge the Governor-Chancellor to declare the MOU null and void.”
If the university wanted to appoint a national coordinator for its distance education study centres, it could have called for applications at a national-level and conducted a selection process openly before finalising the best centre, with minimum cost, he opined. If the decision to renew the MOU is not withdrawn, we will approach the court, he added.