The Institute of Distance Education, University of Madras, has introduced a dual degree system wherein graduates and postgraduates could pursue another degree at the same time through distance education, said university vice-chancellor G. Thiruvasagam.
At the academic council meet, he said as per the guidelines, candidates undergoing UG degree courses in regular colleges of the university would be permitted to do another UG course. Candidates pursuing PG / professional degree courses (after passing the qualifying degree under 10+2+3 pattern of education) would be permitted to do either another UG/PG/professional course in the distance education provided such candidates satisfied the regulations prescribed for the courses thereof, he said.
The student enrolment in various departments and research institutions of the University of Madras this academic year has increased by 112 per cent than the previous year.
The existing strength in each course has been considerably raised due to increasing demand from the student community for the PG courses.
Similarly, the demand for some of the courses offered by the affiliated colleges has also gone up and the university has sanctioned 10 per cent of extra seats over and above the sanctioned strength of select courses.
The Erasmus Mundus Maheva project has resulted in selection of eight students from the university who have left to European universities to study UG, PG and doctoral levels.
In appreciation, the university has been awarded the second Maheva project and the modalities connected with it were being worked out to give a final shape very soon.
About 25 faculty members of university departments have received approval for their projects from the funding agencies such as UGC, ICMR, CSIR and others during the academic year 2011-12.
About 56 project proposals which were received from the faculty members of the university in arts, science, humanities, medical sciences have been forwarded to the funding agencies for approval and sanction.
Under the UGC-BSR one time grant, the UGC has so far granted Rs.42 lakh to be equally shared by six faculty members from the science departments of the university.
