Equivalence of degree accorded to Criminology courses

TNPSC had rejected upgraded course as not qualifying for appointment

The State government has accorded equivalence of degree to a few upgraded undergraduate and postgraduate courses in criminology offered by the University of Madras, Madurai Kamaraj University and Manonmaniam Sundaranar University.

Acting on the recommendations of the Equivalence Committee headed by the Principal Secretary to the government, Higher Education Department, the government issued an order directing that the M.A. (Criminology and Criminal Justice Administration) offered by the University of Madras, M.A (Criminology and Police Administration) offered by the Madurai Kamaraj University and M.Sc (Criminology and Criminal Justice Science) offered by the Manonmanian Sundaranar University, be treated as equivalent to the Master’s degree in Criminology for the purpose of employment in public service from the date of issuance of such degrees.

Similarly, various B.A. courses in Criminology offered by different universities in the State in various upgraded course nomenclatures was also notified as equivalent to the Bachelor’s degree in Criminology for the purpose of employment in public services.

The issue of non-equivalence of degree resulting in candidates not qualifying the eligibility criteria to some posts surfaced after the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) rejected an applicant on the grounds that M.A. (Criminology) was not equivalent to M.Sc. (Criminology & Criminal Justice Science).

Clarification sought

The candidate, Nishanthe Sivakumar, moved the Tamil Nadu Information Commission for a clarification from the University of Madras under the Right to Information Act on when the university had changed the nomenclature of M.A. (Criminology) to M.A. (Criminology & Criminal Justice Administration), and then to M.Sc. (Criminology & Criminal Justice Science), and the steps taken by the authorities to get the “equivalence of qualification” from the State government.

The petitioner said that the TNPSC had rejected her candidature for a post stating that M.Sc. (Criminology & Criminal Justice Science) was not equivalent to M.A. (Criminology).