Over 1K MBBS students’ fate uncertain 3 Pvt Univs Don’t Have UGC Approval

Over 1K MBBS students’ fate uncertain 3 Pvt Univs Don’t Have UGC Approval

Pushpa.Narayan@timesofindia.com 20.09.2024 

Chennai : The academic fate of at least 750 existing MBBS students, plus another 450 preparing to join this year, is hanging by a thread, as three ‘state private universities’ do not have the mandatory University Grants Commission (UGC) approval. These universities are not listed under the UGC and, hence, they may not be able to confer degrees, said UGC officials. 

According to the UGC’s charter, a state must establish auniversity, be it state-run or private, through a separate Act or proper amendment to the existing Tamil Nadu S tate Private Universities Act, 2019. It cannot be done through a mere notification, as has been done in the case of the private universities – Srinivasan Medical College and Hospital, Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Institute of Medical Sciences affiliated with Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan University and Sri Venkateswaraa Medical College under Sri Venkateshwaraa University. However, the Tamil Nadu state selection committee is allotting MBBS seats to students at three medical colleges. Admission to Kanyakumari Medical Mission and Research Institute, which began this year, was withdrawn after round 1 of counselling following a land dispute petition in the Madras high court. 

“All these colleges were added to the seat matrix because they were approved by the National Medical Commission. The govt asked us to include it in the matrix,” said a senior official at the selection committee on condition of anonymity. “We don’t know if UGC has approved the university,” the official said. While the Tamil Nadu govt gave them a stamp of approval by taking the amendment route, instead of creating them by a dedicated Act, the National Medical Council (NMC) has allowed  them to be included in the seat matrix and enabling admission of students, even though the UGC is yet to approve their existence. On her part, Tamil Nadu Health Secretary Supriya Sahu said the issue would be under the purview of the higher education department. However, Higher Education Secretary Pradeep Yadav did not respond to messages or calls. 

When contacted, UGC chairman M Jagadesh Kumar told TOI that certain aspects of the establishment of private universities in Tamil Nadu were not fully aligned with the UGC Act and Regulations. “UGC followed up the matter with relevant state govt departments and requested them to establish the universities through a separate act or through amendments in the existing relevant state govt Act,” he said. The issue extends to seven proposed universities in Tamil Nadu. “The inclusion of these universities in the UGC list is pending since the passage/amendments of the Act in the state assembly is awaited,” he said. “The stipulated period given to the universities is still to end and we are expecting a resolution as early as possible,” he said. 

The UGC’s preliminary nod given to two of the seven proposed universities – Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan University and Jeppiar University – will remain if the reply from the state is satisfactory, he said. “If not, the initial approval will be withdrawn,” he said. Following communication from the UGC, the state higher education minister K Ponmudy introduced a Bill to amend the Tamil Nadu Private Universities Act, 2019 on Oct 10, 2023, “to protect the welfare of the student community.” The Bill, passed by the assembly, proposed to include the names of the university in its schedule. It is, however, yet to receive the governor’s assent. Legal experts say admissions to medical, engineering or any other courses in these ‘private universities’ will be void as these institutions are yet to be conferred the status of a “private university.”