In a major development which could impact higher education prospects of tens of thousands of students, the Distance Education Bureau of the University Grants Commission (UGC) has withdrawn the recognition of the Calicut University to conduct programmes through the distance education mode during the academic year 2015- 16.
Kerala University also figures in the list of varsities the recognition of which have been withdrawn by the UGC as per its updated list dated September 1. However Kerala varsity authorities said that they have taken necessary steps to get the recognition back and it is expected any time soon.
It is learnt that the UGC has taken the extreme step following the failure of the two varsities to submit the mandatory affidavit to the UGC, under oath before a magistrate or notary, stating that the varsity would strictly abide by all the terms and conductions of the UGC while offering Open and Distance Learning (ODL) programmes.
The UGC had written to vice chancellors of 127 universities in the country in May 2015 stating that submission of the affidavit shall be a pre- condition for continuation of recognition for the academic year 2015- 16 as `it has come to the notice that some of the universities are still violating the norms prescribed for programmes offered through ODL mode'.
However Calicut University has not yet submitted the affidavit which has led to the cancellation of recognition for its distance education programme which has a total student strength on around two lakh students. Interestingly the UGC has withdrawn the recognition of only three universities in the country, two of which are in the state.
The recognition has been withdrawn when the admission for UG degree courses under the school of distance education (SDE) of the Calicut University for the year 2015- 16 is underway with over 20000 students already getting enrolled for various courses.
Calicut University Registrar T A Abdul Majeed said that he has not received the formal letter from UGC regarding withdrawal of recognition.
Meanwhile sources in the varsity SDE said that the varsity has not submitted the affidavit as it is not offering programmes in accordance with the provisions contained in the draft affidavit provided by the UGC.
While the affidavit requires the varsity to state under oath that the distance education programmes will not be offered beyond the territorial jurisdiction of the varsity, CU currently has nine off campus counselling centres for Calicut University outside the state and over a dozen counselling centres are functioning in other districts outside the territorial jurisdiction of the varsity in Kerala. The university had to shut down the 25 overseas counselling centres in the Gulf following a Kerala High Court in December 2014
Also there are compliance issues with regard to the stipulations in the UGC draft affidavit that the university shall not start any new programme without prior approval by the UGC. Another point of conflict is that the UGC stipulates that the varsity shall run its ODL programmes in those subjects which are offered by it through the regular mode.
Meanwhile Kerala University registrar K Mohammed Basheer said that the varsity has submitted the affidavit after receiving a letter from the UGC regarding withdrawal of recognition. "We are hopeful of getting the recognition soon," he said.
Kerala University also figures in the list of varsities the recognition of which have been withdrawn by the UGC as per its updated list dated September 1. However Kerala varsity authorities said that they have taken necessary steps to get the recognition back and it is expected any time soon.
It is learnt that the UGC has taken the extreme step following the failure of the two varsities to submit the mandatory affidavit to the UGC, under oath before a magistrate or notary, stating that the varsity would strictly abide by all the terms and conductions of the UGC while offering Open and Distance Learning (ODL) programmes.
The UGC had written to vice chancellors of 127 universities in the country in May 2015 stating that submission of the affidavit shall be a pre- condition for continuation of recognition for the academic year 2015- 16 as `it has come to the notice that some of the universities are still violating the norms prescribed for programmes offered through ODL mode'.
However Calicut University has not yet submitted the affidavit which has led to the cancellation of recognition for its distance education programme which has a total student strength on around two lakh students. Interestingly the UGC has withdrawn the recognition of only three universities in the country, two of which are in the state.
The recognition has been withdrawn when the admission for UG degree courses under the school of distance education (SDE) of the Calicut University for the year 2015- 16 is underway with over 20000 students already getting enrolled for various courses.
Calicut University Registrar T A Abdul Majeed said that he has not received the formal letter from UGC regarding withdrawal of recognition.
Meanwhile sources in the varsity SDE said that the varsity has not submitted the affidavit as it is not offering programmes in accordance with the provisions contained in the draft affidavit provided by the UGC.
While the affidavit requires the varsity to state under oath that the distance education programmes will not be offered beyond the territorial jurisdiction of the varsity, CU currently has nine off campus counselling centres for Calicut University outside the state and over a dozen counselling centres are functioning in other districts outside the territorial jurisdiction of the varsity in Kerala. The university had to shut down the 25 overseas counselling centres in the Gulf following a Kerala High Court in December 2014
Also there are compliance issues with regard to the stipulations in the UGC draft affidavit that the university shall not start any new programme without prior approval by the UGC. Another point of conflict is that the UGC stipulates that the varsity shall run its ODL programmes in those subjects which are offered by it through the regular mode.
Meanwhile Kerala University registrar K Mohammed Basheer said that the varsity has submitted the affidavit after receiving a letter from the UGC regarding withdrawal of recognition. "We are hopeful of getting the recognition soon," he said.
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