Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudi said on Tuesday that Annamalai University, a unitary institution, would be converted into an affiliating university.
“The institution is functioning as a unitary university, and several people, including [IAS officer] Shiv Das Meena who was an administrator there, had opined that it should be made an affiliating university. Colleges in Villupuram, Cuddalore, Kallakurichi and Mayiladuthurai can be affiliated to Annamalai University,” he said.
As for Dr. J. Jayalalithaa University, which was established in Villupuram earlier this year by the AIADMK government, Mr. Ponmudi said that besides the appointment of a Vice-Chancellor, the institution remained largely non-functional.
“They started the university in a part of the campus of a girls school. No funds have been allocated and no registrar or faculty appointment or work has been carried out,” he said.
Mr. Ponmudi said bringing colleges and universities in the four districts, including Dr. J. Jayalalithaa University, under Annamalai University would financially and academically benefit the institutions. But he did not state whether Dr. J. Jayalalithaa University would be merged with Annamalai University or downgraded into a college and then affiliated to it because a university cannot be affiliated to another university.
“Annamalai University is a renowned institution that has enough space and infrastructure. To develop it into an affiliating university will not be financially challenging,” he said. Incidentally, former Law Minister C.Ve. Shanmugam has moved the Madras High Court for a direction to the State government to provide funds for the smooth functioning of Dr. J. Jayalalithaa University.
