The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Failure to complete business course as stipulated keeps students upset

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jun 22, 2009
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Failure to complete business course as stipulated keeps students upset

R. Sujatha

CHENNAI: Several students who took a three-year undergraduate business administration course offered by Loyola College here are upset that they have not been able to complete the course as stipulated.

Classes for the BBA course, started in 2006, are held partly at the college in Chennai and partly in Lille Catholic University, France. The degree is awarded by the French university. The course has been much in demand given that a student who finishes the first four semesters here could go to France to complete the last two semesters.

The hitch, however, is qualifying for the last two semesters. Out of the over 40 students in the second batch, only 18 managed to qualify, said a parent of an affected student.

“After the fourth semester, an interview was conducted by the university officials from France. Even those who had failed in a few subjects were selected. Passing without arrears in the course was not a criterion. We were not told that scoring high marks would not be enough to go to France.”

Those who did not qualify were told to find their way into other colleges, parents of the affected students alleged. College officials said students who failed to qualify for the last two semesters are automatically moved to the normal BBA course. In the first batch, a few students did not qualify for the final semesters, but in the second batch, the numbers are much higher.

“My son’s future is in dire straits and I don’t have an eligibility certificate as this course is not registered with the Madras University, which claims it is an unauthorised course,” a worried parent said. The fee for the first four semesters is around Rs.1.30 lakh and for the final semesters it is €7,000.

When contacted, Loyola College Principal Albert Muthumalai said: “Students are tested for aptitude, attitude and learning skills at the interview. Usually, 40 students join the course and 60 per cent of them go to France. Once students are detained, we don’t take responsibility. Those who stayed back in the first batch found their own way. We are talking with some Indian universities to absorb the students [who did not qualify in the second batch]. Next week, we are getting officials from France and we will talk to them and sort it out.”

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

Tamil Nadu