Southern States - Tamil Nadu   

13 colleges face disaffiliation for opening `regional centres'

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI March 6. The Anna University has issued notices to 13 colleges to show cause why their affiliation should not be withdrawn for violation of norms and approval conditions of the All- India Council for Technical Education.

The university has objected to the colleges giving consent to a deemed university for opening "regional centres" in the colleges. The notice to the 13 managements states that it had come to know that consent had been given to the Sathyabhama Institute of Science and Technology (Deemed University) to open regional centres in the colleges for conducting postgraduate and Ph.D programmes.

"You are well aware that the institute is affiliated to the Anna University and all the academic programmes offered by the institute are under the academic purview of the university... It is the responsibility of the university to maintain certain standards and quality of education imparted to students admitted in the affiliated institution."

The notice said the colleges (while obtaining approval from the AICTE for starting institutions) gave written an undertaking that the facilities of the college were not shareable and were for the institution's exclusive use. The consent to open a regional institute without the university's knowledge and to share the infrastructure for conduct of programmes by other institutions contravened the university and the AICTE norms. It would water down the quality of education for the programmes approved by the AICTE. "Your unilateral consent to open a regional centre at the cost of the existing programmes is not in order."

The university directed the colleges to show cause within seven days of the receipt of the notice why their affiliation should not be withdrawn. Otherwise, suo motu disaffiliation proceedings would be initiated against them, the notice said. The university has appended a letter from the Deemed University saying it offered ME programmes in Computer Science and Engineering, Applied Electronics, Computer-aided Design, Power Electronics, Electronics and Control Engineering, Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, besides MBA and Ph.D programmes. It also gave details of application and fees payable. Meanwhile, the Vice-Chancellor, E. Balagurusamy, has written to the University Grants Commission Chairman, Arun Nigavekar, and the AICTE Chairman, R. Natarajan, seeking their views on the issue.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• CJ warns of financial emergency
• Priority for Ariyalur region development: Jayalalithaa
• 21 Nagapattinam fishermen taken captive in Sri Lanka
• 13 colleges face disaffiliation for opening `regional centres'
• Applications for TNPCEE
• Annamalai varsity results
• Madras University examinations
• Tamil FM radio launch today
• DK welcomes unity on language issue
• Permanent solution needed to protect fishermen: DMK
• A victory `bought' in Sattankulam
• Behind bars, Vaiko calls the shots

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu