Madras varsity to have two ranking lists

University of Madras will have two rankings lists, one each for students of autonomous colleges and another for all other colleges, Vice-Chancellor G. Thiruvasagam said on Saturday.

The university at its senate meeting also decided to abolish grades during convocation ceremony in colleges.

“I will send a circular to all the colleges in the first week of April, asking them to give up the practice of inviting students to receive degrees during the convocation based on the classes secured by the students. This disparity causes embarrassment to the parents present during convocation,” Mr Thrivasagam said.

Explaining the reason behind the decision to have separate ranking lists and medals, he said most of the ranks and medals were bagged by the students of autonomous colleges.

Mr Thiruvasagam also announced the University’s decision to conduct immediate supplementary examination for “the benefit of the students who have failed only one subject in the last year of their graduation.” This will be done from April 2010.

The Vice-Chancellor said the syndicate had decided that except the Anna Centre for Public Affairs, other departments would not be allowed to offer five-year integrated programme. This was done after analysing the pros and cons of the five-year integrated programme and strength of students’ participation.

“Owing to lack of teaching faculty and students’ strength, various centres functioning in the university have been merged with their respective parent departments,” he said.

Mr Thiruvasagam said a quota system would be established to accommodate the children of the university staff in admission for all colleges.

The University will soon make it available A.C.Chettiar’s English dictionary, which has not been reprinted for many years.

As regards guidelines for selecting the beneficiaries for the Madras University Free Education Scheme (MUFES), the Vice-Chancellor said the students would be asked name three colleges near their localities and three courses of their choices. A selection committee would identify the beneficiaries.

When a suggestion was made for nominating college principals as members of senate, Mr Thiruvasagam pointed out many principals were allowed continue in their posts only for a short period.