Former Anna University Vice-Chancellor E. Balagurusamy has written to Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, urging him to approve and support the Ministry of Human Resource Development’s proposal to grant Institute of Eminence (IoE) status to the State-run Anna University.
Earlier this month, the MHRD announced that two State universities — Anna University in Chennai and Jadavpur University in Kolkata — were selected by the Empowered Committee for grant of IoE status. However, the Tamil Nadu and West Bengal governments were “asked to indicate their commitment towards their contribution under the IoE scheme”.
“It is really a matter of great honour and pride that Anna University is one of the only two State universities in India and the only one in south India to receive this distinction (out of 800 State universities in India). The IoE status will enable the university to enjoy complete freedom from the control of Central regulatory agencies like the UGC and the AICTE and to implement its own flexible course structure, curriculum and syllabus,” Prof. Balagurusamy said in a letter to the Chief Minister on Tuesday.
The IoEs also enjoy the freedom to collaborate with world-class foreign universities for academic programmes and research work in emerging areas of science and technology. The State needs to provide a matching financial grant along with the Centre to get the IoE status.
Opportunity for students
Mr. Balagurusamy said the government must extend all possible support to make the university an IoE so that students from Tamil Nadu can have an opportunity to receive high quality, world-class education.
“Under the scheme of IoE, Anna University will be groomed to break into the top 100 global rankings in 10 years’ time,” Prof. Balagurusamy said.
In the case of Jadavpur University, the Centre offered ₹1,000 crore and asked the West Bengal government to pump in ₹2,000 crore, a figure the State has contested. As for Anna University, there is no clarity on the quantum of the State’s contribution.