Tamil Nadu - Madurai   

No additional seats for colleges affiliated to Madurai Kamaraj University

MADURAI: Affiliated colleges of Madurai Kamaraj University are set to face a tough time since a decision has been taken on Saturday not to sanction additional seats for them despite the demand from students for some courses.

Following a direction from the Higher Education Secretary R. Kannan, the MKU authorities are now going to express their ‘helplessness' to colleges which have sought the university's sanction of additional seats for courses witnessing huge demand for admission from students.

The Principal Secretary to Higher Education Department made his maiden visit to the university on Saturday evening where he had a meeting with the Syndicate members on certain key issues, including the sanctioning of additional seats to arts and science colleges over and above the originally sanctioned strength.

“Sanctioning of additional seats is a routine matter for any university. We are disappointed that the university is now asked to keep the matter in abeyance. It will affect the colleges and students,” a senior official told ‘The Hindu' after the meeting.

According to a Syndicate member, the university administration had already processed some requests received from affiliated colleges for more seats in view of the demand.

“Since it has been the practice every year to sanction additional seats for lab and non-lab courses, we took a decision a few days back to process the requests and give official permission. About 15 colleges were already given sanction of additional seats. The Higher Education Secretary had instructed us to put that in abeyance,” varsity sources said.

Following Saturday's decision, the colleges will not be able to admit more students despite their witnessing huge rush for courses such as B.Com, BBA, and B.Sc (Computer Science).

A Syndicate member said that the Secretary was ‘misled' by some university staff that the members of Convenor's Committee were taking decisions without consulting him.

“Since giving permission for additional seats was a minor issue, we proceeded on it because it is now admission time. Moreover, the Academic Council too had given its consent,” an official said.

Exhaustive discussion took place on this issue during the three-hour meeting which was attended by members of the Convenor's Committee formed in April to look after the routine administration since the Vice-Chancellor R. Karpaga Kumaravel's three-year tenure was over.

Asked about what the university would do now following the Secretary's instructions, a Syndicate member said that it would communicate to the colleges Saturday's decision on additional seats.

“The matter is now on hold and only the colleges/students will suffer. Colleges which had already got the permission also have to abide by this decision and they cannot fill up the additional seats they were given. Totally 35 affiliated colleges of MKU had applied for additional seats and 15 already got the sanction. Everything should stop now as per Secretary's order,” a senior official said.

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