Students of Manonmaniam Sundaranar University have expressed fear that the degree certificates that they have got may not be valid outside the state as they do not have the vice-chancellor’s signature.

The VC’s post remains vacant for the past nine months.

The fear was strengthened as the university’s chancellor, Governor K. Rosaiah, and the pro-chancellor, the state higher education minister, P. Palaniappan, also not attend the 19th convocation function held at the university in Tirunelveli on Thursday.

The convenor committee chairman and the law secretary, government of Tamil Nadu gave the students the certificates at the ceremony.

However, the controller of exams at the university, K.S.P. Durairaj, said that in the absence of the vice-chancellor, the chancellor of the university has empowered the convenor committee chairman, Dr G. Jayachandran, who is the law secretary, government of Tamil Nadu to sign the certificate. He added that it was not against university rules.