University Grants Commission (UGC) has pulled up the Bharathiar University for not withdrawing affiliations it has given to private institutions across the country to conduct programmes under the Centre for Participatory Programmes scheme. These institutions offered programmes that regular affiliated colleges also offered. According to the UGC, these institutions were outside the University’s territorial jurisdiction and outside its home State – Tamil Nadu and therefore against its policy. The institutions recognised by Bharathiyar University included those in Bengaluru, Kozhikode, Gurgaon, Kannur and Kolkata. These offered courses in B.A. History, Tourism, B.Sc. Optometry, B.Sc. Interior Design, MBA, M.Com., M.Sc. Optometry, etc. In its letter of November 17, 2015, the Deputy Secretary, UGC, Sunita Siwach said that the University should treat this as a final warning and that failing to comply might cost Bharathiyar University the grant it received from UGC.
The UGC said that if the University did not terminate the affiliation or close down the institutions it would attract penal action and also reminded the University that it did not recognise the degrees the University awarded to students of such institutions. UGC had issued a similar direction to the Bharathidasan University, Tiruchi, and it had complied.
Private colleges affiliated to Bharathiyar University had complained that such institutions offered the very courses they offered and therefore were their direct competitors. But the rules and restrictions that applied to the colleges did not apply to the institutions. According to sources, following the UGC letter the University moved the Madras High Court and obtained a stay. Therefore, the University will go ahead and conduct the programmes.
