Chennai: Professor K. Ravichandran, Controller of Examinations (incharge), was appointed as the director of Institute of Distance Education at University of Madras on Friday.
With this appointment, the IDE gets a full time director after a gap of three years. Professor S.Karunanidhi was holding additional charge as the director of IDE for over six months.
The committee headed by Madras University Vice-Chancellor P.Duraisamy has selected the new director after interviewing around 10 candidates.
Sources said after a gap of seven years, the university is conducting interview for appointing the director to the IDE.
Ravichandran will take charge of the IDE during the challenging times as the admissions in distance education programmes is declining.
“The immediate task to the new director is to bring out the reading materials, conducting exams in semester pattern and personal contact programmes,” professors said.
“He needs to identify new courses to offer distance education programmes. Market driven courses could stem the decline in the admissions,” they added.
The syndicate of the university which met here on Friday evening gave its approval to two appointments - the director of IDE and Controller of Examinations - two important posts in the university after Vice-Chancellor and registrar.
Professor K.Pandian from the department of inorganic chemistry was appointed as the new Controller of Examinations of the university.
