Only intention of some univs is to mint money: HC

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TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:

04.01.2022

Terming a Salem based private deemed to be university a ‘commercial broker,’ the Madras high court has observed that the real intention of such universities is to mint money by giving certificates without providing quality education. “Such universities must realise that education is different from qualification,” a division bench of Justice S Vaidyanathan and Justice A A Nakkiran said.

The court made the observations on an appeal moved by a group of engineers working in Tangedco challenging the order of a single judge granting re-designation of posts of junior engineers who have obtained engineering degree through distance education as assistant engineers.

All the junior engineers obtained a degree in mechanical engineering through distance mode from Vinayaka Mission University, Salem. Since their representation for re-designation was not considered they moved the high court.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court suspended their degrees in a similar batch of petitions and said that the university was not justified in in- troducing any new courses in technical education without the approval of AICTE.

The apex court directed the AICTE to conduct an appropriate test to the degree holders giving them two attempts to clear the exam. Since the junior engineers cleared the exams in the second attempt, a single judge of the court directed the Tangedco to re-designate them as assistant engineers.

Aggrieved, a group of engineers who obtained degrees through regular mode have moved the present appeal. They contended that as per TNEB Service Regulations degrees obtained through distance mode are not recognised.

They further added that the re-designation has also shuffled the seniority. Concurring with the submissions, the court allowed the appeal and set aside the order of the single judge.