No UGC nod, TNOU cancels admissions for 2018-19 B Ed

No UGC nod, TNOU cancels admissions for 2018-19 B Ed

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:  03.07.2020

The Tamil Nadu Open University has cancelled B Ed admissions for the 2018-19 batch as the University Grants Commission (UGC) didn’t for the programme. TNOU also said it would reimburse admission and exam fee paid by 306 candidates who joined the course.

UGC approval was made mandatory for all Open and Distance Learning mode courses from 2018-19. Till then, universities were offering B Ed courses with National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) approval.

“TNOU admitted students to the B Ed course following NCTE approval and appealed for UGC approval for the two-year degree programme. But UGC has said students were admitted without its approval and based on its direction, we are cancelling BEd admission for 2018-19 batch,” TNOU registrar K Rathnakumar said in a letter to students. Admissions had been given with the clause that they were subject to the UGC recognition,” he added.

Though the university spent money on study material and conducting contact classes, the syndicate has decided to refund the money collected from candidates who will have to submit their name, B Ed registration number, bank account number and other details.

Due to streamlining of ODL courses, UCC approval was made mandatory for all courses from 2018-19. “We made many attempts to get UGC approval for the BEd degree. But, we could not get it as the appellate authority meets once in a year. Now, due to the pandemic, the UGC has decided not to entertain applications for recognition or approval of UG and PG courses for 2020-21. If we offer a degree without UGC's approval, our students will not be eligible for government jobs. We don't want our students to suffer,” said TNOU vice-chancellor K Parthasarathy.

Though the university spent money on study material and conducting contact classes, the syndicate has decided to refund the money collected from candidates