State higher edu council to resolve degree equivalence issues

Chairpersons of State Universities Board of Studies are expected to conduct a meeting in this regard this year. After the last meeting, comments on more than 280 matters went sent to Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) equivalence committee for taking decisions on the comparability of subjects.

There are 13 State-run universities, including Anna University, University of Madras and Tamil Nadu Teachers Education University, that are functioning under the Higher Education Department.

A senior official said in the last couple of years, new courses have been introduced especially in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), data science (DS), machine language (ML) and data analytics (DA) among others.

Citing an example, he said the educational qualification consideration of MSc Software Engineering, a five-year integrated degree offered by Anna University, was equivalent to MSc Computer Science degree, for the purpose of employment in public service. “This time, authorities will identify various degrees offered in AI, DS, ML and others,” the official said.

According to him, students and even employers had confusions that computer science and information technology, which are inter-related, are equivalent in both undergraduate and postgraduate. “The equivalence-related issues will be sorted out based on the subject offered in both IT and computer science degrees,” he added.

Constituting a State Integrated Board of Studies to provide a bank of subjects would play a major role in deciding equivalence for courses and help in the mobility of students and faculty across the universities and colleges, the official said.

In March, the government had allowed equivalence of degree to a few upgraded UG and PG courses in criminology offered by the University of Madras, Madurai Kamaraj University and Manonmaniam Sundaranar University.

The issue of non-equivalence of degree surfaces when TNPSC rejects candidates to some posts, which would then lead to legal challenge.