Madurai Kamaraj University will be reopening the evening college on its MKU College (MKUC) campus in Madurai city to offer M. Phil programmes in 20 subjects, according to Vice-Chancellor P.P. Chellathurai.
Speaking to the media here on Saturday, he said that the evening college, started in 1969 inside The American College campus and later moved to MKUC in 1972, offered opportunities for many who could not join regular courses, but was unfortunately closed down in 2012.Applications to the M. Phil courses at the college would be available from December 11 and admissions would commence four days later. The subjects offered will include Commerce, Tamil, Chemistry, Physics, Journalism and Mass Communication, Biotechnology, Economics and 13 others.
Regarding the common entrance exam to be conducted for Ph. D and M. Phil programmes as per the UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedure for Award of M. Phil / Ph. D Degrees) Regulations 2016, he said that a separate test will be conducted for the applicants to the M. Phil course at the evening college since the entrance exam for the present academic was already over.
“Hence, those who have not appeared for the previous entrance exam can also apply for the M. Phil course at the evening college now,” he said. He also said that the number of seats has not been fixed and the university would try to accommodate as many eligible aspirants as possible.
When asked about the rationale behind offering research programmes in an evening college, which are primarily meant to provide under-graduate courses, he said that under-graduate and post-graduate courses will also be offered at the evening college in MKUC from the next academic year.
On the appointment of staff, he said that a faculty member of the university has been given the additional role of the Director of the evening college. “A panel has been formed for the recruitment of other teaching staff,” he said.
MKU evening colleges are already functioning in Theni, Dindigul, Palani and Periyakulam.
