Chennai: Madras high court has pulled up the University Grants Commission for rarely taking action against the deemed universities, which are offering unapproved courses and exploiting poor students.
Disposing of petitions from S. Sivan and 12 other teachers, Justice S.M. Subramaniam said the petitioners are not entitled for grant of any incentive increment for the qualification of M.Phil degree obtained by them from the Vinayaka Missions University, which are not approved.
In their petitions, the petitioners challenged an order of the department of school education, denying incentive increment to them.
The judge said this court was of an opinion that the degree of M.Phil now acquired by petitioners was invalid in view of the fact that the Vinayaka Missions University was not authorised to conduct courses through distance education mode.
M.Phil conducted by Vinayaka Missions University through distance education mode was in violation of the circular issued by the UGC. In this regard, the UGC was empowered to initiate appropriate penal action under the provisions of the UGC Act and its Regulations. It was left open to the UGC to initiate appropriate action in view of the fact that the poor students were exploited in this manner by such deemed universities for their personal gains, the judge added.
The judge said, “In the event of serious irregularities by such deemed universities, the UGC is competent to initiate all appropriate action, even to cancel the status of deemed universities. However, such actions are rarely taken by UGC for the reasons not known to the court.
The UGC is the authority to regulate the courses to be conducted by various universities across the country. Such being the status of the UGC under the statute, they are duty bound to inspect and vigil over such illegal activities of the universities so as to ensure that the interest of the students, who all are studying in the universities are protected.
The students who may not be aware of such approval or recognition to be obtained from the UGC, ultimately after completion of the degree, they came to know that such courses are not approved by the UGC. Thus, the university concerned must be accountable and answerable and the authorities of the UGC and the UGC are also duty bound to initiate all appropriate action against such universities which are all conducting the courses not approved by the UGC or through its regulations”.
