CHENNAI: The University of Madras (UoM) will help Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR and CE) Department in chalking out religious courses for the colleges run by the department.
According to varsity officials, on a pilot basis, the Saiva Siddhantha Department of the School of Philosophy and Religion, UoM, has prepared study content for a six-month certificate course on Saiva Siddhantha which will be started at the Arulmigu Kapaleeswarar Arts and Science College in Kolathur soon.
“The university has also signed a Memorandum of understanding (MoU) with HR and CE Department in this regard,” said Vice-Chancellor of the university, S Gowri. Sources said in the long run, the department has plans to introduce undergraduate and postgraduate courses on religious subjects, which will be offered in colleges run by it.
University officials said the MoU will help in popularisation of courses like Saiva Siddhantha offered by it. “Demand for courses like Saiva Siddhantha are declining. The MoU will boost demand of such courses,” said an official of the university. It should be mentioned that the Madras High Court recently ordered HR and CE Department to start religious courses in the four colleges run by it on land belonging to various temples.