COIMBATORE: Annamalai University and the Tamil Nadu Open University, whose recognition to offer distance education programmes during 2015-16 academic year was cancelled by the University Grants Commission (UGC), have decided to the seek the intervention of the Higher Education Department to resolve the issue.
Annamalai University vice-chancellor S Manian said, “In August 21, 2012, the UGC informed us that the distance education programmes should not be conducted outside Tamil Nadu. When we moved a writ petition in the Madras High Court, the court on March 12, 2013, issued a stay order against the UGC.”
He further said, “On UGC’s appeal, the court on April 29 this year ordered that all admissions made by the university for the distance education program for the centres situated outside the territorial jurisdiction shall be subject to the final decision of the pending appeal.”
“We also decided to bring this issue to the knowledge of the State government and make a representation for their intervention in resolving the territorial jurisdiction issue with the UGC and MHRD. We are also planning to take up this matter with the UGC officials,” he added.
“Foreign countries are appreciating our distance education program. The UGC cannot issue a blanket restriction. They can highlight shortfalls, which can be rectified. We have recruited faculty members to offer these courses and constructed buildings. This is not an academic decision but one taken by bureaucrats,” he rued.
“We have submitted all the forms and affidavit for the 2015-16 academic year to the UGC on June 17. They might have misplaced them. There is no fault with us and we are not offering unapproved courses,” said Chandrakantha Jeyabalan, vice-chancellor of the Tamil Nadu Open University.