COIMBATORE: The Association of University Teachers (AUT) has alleged that an aided college near the city has started the admission process for unaided undergraduate courses without getting approval from Bharathiar University.
The AUT also charged that officers from Bharathiar University are showing laxity in this regard.
AUT Vice-President P Thirunavukkarasu told TNIE that an aided college near Kuniyamuthur has released an admission pamphlet for the next academic year. "On this, it stated that admission is held for undergraduate unaided courses of B.Com, B.Com (CA), B.Sc Computer Science and B.Sc Artificial Intelligence and Data Science," he claimed.
He alleged that they came to know the college had not obtained permission from Bharathiar University for the B.Sc Computer Science and B.Sc Artificial Intelligence and Data Science courses.
He questioned how the college could start admissions for these unapproved courses without approval by mentioning the pamphlet. He also claimed many other colleges follow this wrong practice.
Thirunavukkarasu said students' future will be at stake if colleges admit students to unapproved courses.
He alleged that top officers from Bharathiar University are allowing this violation instead of taking action against colleges.
A teaching staff from the college, who did not wish to be named, told TNIE that the college administration did not conduct admissions for the B.Sc Statistics course in the aided section, citing a lack of teaching staff.
He said that as per the norms, the college should have conducted admissions for the Statistics course, but the administration has stopped admissions for this course for the last four academic years, though this course is still valid.
When contacted, the college principal, who denied these allegations, told TNIE that they did not issue applications for two courses of B.Sc Computer Science and B.Sc Artificial Intelligence and Data Science. He clarified that the two courses are awaiting approval from the university; hence a star symbol (indicating "subject to approval") is placed near the courses in the pamphlets.
The other two courses — B.Com and B.Com (CA) — have already received the university's nod, the principal added.
Further, he alleged that the university delays giving approval for new courses. He also said that they sent a letter to the government requesting the appointment of teaching staff for the Statistics course.
The principal also noted that if the college had admitted students it could have been deemed a malpractice, but it did not happen that way.
When asked about it, Bharathiar University registrar (in-charge) Rupa Gunaseelan told TNIE that she would look into this matter.