Madras University Distance Education In INDIA

Madras University Is Most Usefull For Indian Students & all Of Indians. Chennai :  The University of Madras has decided to stop concessions for disabled candidates and prisoners who pursue courses in its Institute of Distance Education (IDE). The fee concessions were introduced by the previous vice-chancellor, G Thiruvasagam.

Academics said the decision is ironical at a time when the state government has prioritized the challenge of improving Gross Enrollment Rate (GER). A senior professor said IDE has been helpful in attracting more students into a variety of undergraduate, postgraduate and professional courses being offered in its distance mode. IDE offers 109 courses with over 100 examination centres in India and abroad.

While disabled students and prisoners have been enjoying a full exemption of tuition fee and special fares in IDE programmes, women candidates, former graduates of the university, defense personnel, teachers and journalists were given 25% fee concession for distance education courses.

A senior syndicate member said the decision was unilateral and without any stated reason. "Instead of seeking permission from the syndicate, vice-chancellor R Thandavan informed the syndicate about the decision by an advisory committee," he said. Incidentally, Thandavan heads the advisory committee of IDE that decides the performance and excellence of the wing.

Former VC G Thiruvasagam said fee concessions, approved by UGC, were introduced as part of a larger social welfare measure and a national plan to increase GER from 18.1% to 25.2% by 2017. "It is the responsibility of a state university to strengthen the public education network. It was one of the measures to make higher education more accessible to weaker sections. The idea of giving fee concession for differently abled, prisoners, women and similar categories was implemented as per a a UGC directive to improve GER," he said.

VC Thandavan was not available for comment.

In Tamil Nadu, lakhs of students pursue correspondence courses from Indira Gandhi National Open University, Annamalai University, Madurai Kamaraj University, University of Madras and Alagappa University.

Academics said the decision is ironical at a time when the state government has prioritized the challenge of improving gross enrollment rate.