Open and distance courses offered by Annamalai University invalid, declares UGC

UGC secretary Rajnish Jain, in a public notice, said, "It has come to the notice of the commission that Annamalai University is running distance education programmes and admitting students to Open and Distance Learning (ODL) courses without the approval of the UGC in gross violation of all conditions laid own under UGC (ODL) Regulations 2017 and its amendments from time to time".

He said as per the regulation no Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) should offer any ODL programmes or online courses and admit learners thereto unless it has been granted recognition by the UGC.

According to the UGC Secretary, the Annamalai University was only recognised to offer any programme in ODL mode till the academic year 2014-2015 and no further recognition has been accorded to it to offer any programme through ODL mode.

He said accordingly, the ODL programmes offered by the university without prior approval of UGC are invalid and the university is solely responsible for the career consequences of the students, if any, arising out of the same.

"Therefore, the general public, students and other stakeholders were cautioned through this public notice not to take admission in any programme offered by Annamalai University, Tamil Nadu through ODL mode," he said adding that taking admissions in such programmes may jeopardise the career of the students in view of the absence of recognition of the programmes by the UGC".