Thousands of students who had graduated from the distance mode programmes of Annamalai University were in for a shock as the University Grants Commission (UGC) on Monday declared that the degrees awarded by the university after 2014-15 were invalid.
CHENNAI/COIMBATORE: Thousands of students who had graduated from the distance mode programmes of Annamalai University were in for a shock as the University Grants Commission (UGC) on Monday declared that the degrees awarded by the university after 2014-15 were invalid.
Every year 30,000 to 40,000 students enrol in the distance mode programmes of Annamalai University, which used to be hugely popular across the country before the territorial jurisdiction was introduced.
Murugan, a teacher aspirant from Salem, said, he cannot appear for the recruitment exam if his degree becomes invalid. Hundreds of job aspirants made frantic calls to the university's study centres across the state on Tuesday.
The UGC said Annamalai University was only recognised to offer distance mode programmes till 2014-15. "Accordingly, the open and distance learning (ODL) programmes offered by Annamalai University without prior approval of UGC are invalid and the university is solely responsible for the career consequences of the students, if any, arising out of the same," the notice from UGC said.
It also warned the public not to enrol in any programme offered by Annamalai University through ODL mode.
A 35-year-old woman in Coimbatore said, "I am a TNPSC aspirant. I enrolled in a distance education course at Annamalai university as the institution was more familiar than Bharathiar university here. But, no staff nor teachers during the admission time told us the university is offering programmes without UGC approval."
Speaking to TOI, Annamalai University vice-chancellor RM Kathiresan said, "The degrees were offered as per the court's direction. The court stay order to the UGC's direction imposing jurisdictional restriction is still valid."
He added that a NAAC review team visited the campus between March 16 and 18. "As the results are expected anytime, we will go for distance education board approval and get it done. The problem will be sorted out soon," Kathiresan added.
R Singaravel, director of distance education at the university, said the students' degrees will not become invalid with the UGC notice.
