K Ponmudi, the Tamil Nadu Higher Education Minister has announced that Annamalai University, a unitary institution, will soon be converted into an affiliating university.
Currently, Annamalai University is operating as a unitary University and several people, including Shiv Das Meena, [IAS officer] , who was an administrator at the institute, had also opined that the university should be made an affiliating University. Further, various colleges in Villupuram, Mayiladuthurai, Cuddalore, and Kallakurichi can be affiliated to the Annamalai University, he said.
The Dr. J. Jayalalithaa University, which was earlier established in Villupuram this year by the AIADMK government, remained largely non-functional after the appointment of a Vice-Chancellor.
Check: Annamalai University Admission 2021: Registration Deadline Extended till July 31.
He added that the AIADMK government established the Dr. J. Jayalalithaa University is a part of the campus of a girl's school, for which any funds have not yet been allocated or any registrar or faculty appointment or work has been carried out.
Affiliating colleges and universities in the four districts, including Dr. J. Jayalalithaa University, under Annamalai University would financially and academically benefit all the institutions. Meanwhile, Ponmudi did not state if the Dr. J. Jayalalithaa University would be merged with Annamalai University or will it be downgraded into a college and then affiliated to the Annamalai University. This is because an existing university cannot be affiliated to another university.
Ponmudi stated that Annamalai University is a renowned institution that has well-equipped and spacious infrastructure and to develop it into an affiliating university will not be financially challenging. Incidentally, former Law Minister C.Ve Shanmugarm has moved the Madras high court for a direction to the state government to provide financial assistance and funds for the smooth operation of the Dr. J. Jayalalithaa University.
