Distance education courses offered by Annamalai University invalid, warns UGC

Annamalai University running distance education programmes in violation of all regulations, says a UGC notice.

Students looking to pursue distance education courses at the Annamalai University in Tamil Nadu are in for a rude shock. For, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued a warning saying that the varsity doesn’t have required approvals, and the courses offered by the university would be invalid.

The University Grants Commission had on March 25 this year put out a notice saying that the Annamalai University has been running Open and Distance Learning (ODL) programmes that are “in gross violation of all conditions laid down under UGC” rules and regulations.

University violating rules, says UGC

A report quoting Rajnish Jain, Secretary, UGC, has stated that the University Grants Commission has taken note of a situation where the Annamalai University was undertaking  the distance education courses and that the Tamil Nadu University has been enrolling students for the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) courses. These were being done without the approval of  UGC, Jain has been quoted saying.

According to the report, the UGC Secretary believed that the Annamalai University’s act was in gross violation of all conditions laid down under the UGC (Open and Distance learning) Regulations, 2017 and its amendments from time to time and UGC (Open and Distance Learning Programme and Online Programmes) Regulations, 2020. He also clarified that no educational institution in the country is permitted to offer distance learning courses without the approval of the University Grants Commission.

Recognition ended in 2014-15

It has been made known that Tamil Nadu-based Annamalai University had permission only for offering courses in the Open and Distance Learning mode till academic session 2014-15. Further recognition has not been accorded to the university, whatsoever. Significantly, the website of the Annamalai University proclaims that the university more than 200 Open and Distance Learning programmes and that these courses have been approved by the Distance Education Council of New Delhi.

That UGC notice means that all Open and Distance Learning programmes being offered by the Annamalai University currently are invalid. The University Grants Commission believes that it is the responsibility of the university to have let the students known about its lack of the University Grants Commission approval. Also, as per the University Grants Commission, the university will now be solely responsible for the consequences on the careers of students arising out of the non-recognition of the programmes it offers.