Varsity council recognises Tamil as classical language

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, SEPT. 22. The Madras University's Academic Council today approved the recommendation of its standing committee that Tamil be recognised as a classical and modern language.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Pon Kothandaraman, said the syndicate in July accepted the recommendation of the Board of Studies in Tamil Literature to adopt Tamil as a classical language from the academic year 2001-2002.

He reminded the council that the Board of Studies had passed the resolution in 1997, but somehow the subject was not placed before the syndicate and it was not being passed ``because political parties were talking about it. The university would write to the State Government, the UGC and the Centre and work for obtaining the status for Tamil.

On issues relating to amendments of regulations and revision of syllabi for the first and second year Engineering courses and introduction of B.Tech in Biotechnology, he said it would be better to ratify the recommendations after further instructions from the Government, as the engineering colleges were to come under the fold of the Anna University. However, a few members spoke about the difficulties students would face if they wrote the first semester examinations of the Madras University.

The Council decided to refer to the syndicate the issue relating to the UGC's Revised Guidelines on the Scheme of autonomous colleges as certain provisions were contrary to the Private Colleges Regulation Act.

Approval was accorded for courses under the faculty of Engineering in Bachelor and Masters in Fine Arts to be offered by affiliated Arts and Design colleges for 2001-2002. Consent was also given for introducing two language papers in the under- graduate and post-graduate five year integrated courses from 2002 -2003.

The Academic Council elected four of its members to the syndicate. They are: Dr. Nirmala Prasad, Principal, MOP Vaishnav, Dr. B. N. Viswanathan, Principal, Sankara Arts and Science College, Enathur, Prof. V. Renganathan of Govt Arts College, Tiruthani, and Dr.Joseph Xavier, Principal, Loyola College.

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Section  : Southern States
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