CHENNAI: In an unusual move, Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi has written to state universities informing them that they are under no obligation to follow the common syllabus designed by the Tamil Nadu State Council for Higher Education (TNSCHE).
The letter has been sent to the vice-chancellors of all state universities, the Association of Private Universities in Coimbatore with a copy marked to the principal secretary of the Higher Education Department, said sources.
In the letter, the governor said a number of educationists, including V-Cs, college principals and management of autonomous colleges had brought to his attention their deep concern over the efforts of the higher education department to have them adopt the common syllabus.
“Their concerns broadly are severe erosion of their academic freedom, (that) the common syllabus severely compromises the quality of education as these are far below and behind the current syllabus being followed by them and that it would also drive them out of the National Institutional Ranking Framework that promotes healthy competitions towards better performance and determines their all India rankings,” the governor said.
Ravi went on to state that the determination of higher education standards falls in the Union list of the constitution and “hence beyond the competence of the state government”. “The University Grants Commission has made it clear that “it is the university/autonomous college which shall design the course/programme of study and syllabi in accordance with the regulations, frameworks, guidelines etc. issued by the UGC from time to time and with the due approval of its statutory bodies e.g., academic council, and executive council,” the governor added. This, he said, put to rest any doubt or ambiguity regarding the common syllabus.
Enclosing a copy of the UGC letter, he added, “You are free to have syllabi as designed by the competent body of your institutions and are under no obligation to follow the common syllabus designed by the Tamil Nadu State Council for Higher Education.”
‘Common syllabus will improve employability’
The state government has said that the common syllabus was designed to improve students’ employability and performance in competitive examinations. It also recently made its implementation optional for autonomous colleges following their opposition. Earlier, all colleges and universities were asked to ensure that 75% of their syllabus is from the common syllabus. The higher education department has claimed that most colleges in TN have implemented the common syllabus.
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Matter falls under union list, UGC, says guv
“Determination of higher education standards comes under the Union list and is beyond the competence of the state government. The UGC has made it clear that it is the university/autonomous college that shall design the course in accordance with regulations issued by the UGC from time to time,” Governor RN Ravi said in his letter