CHENNAI: University of Madras has announced a 'last chance' for students enrolled in its distance education programme between academic year 1981-82 and 2018 to clear their backlogs and obtain degrees.

Undergraduate students will be required to pay a penal fee of Rs 7,000, postgraduate students Rs 9,000, and Rs 12,000 for those in professional courses to appear for these examinations along with examination fee.

This initiative is aimed at students who have been unable to complete their backlog papers over many years. The university has signalled that after this window closes, no further extensions will be granted under the University Grants Commission norm.

The Institute of Distance Education (IDE) of the university will soon start registration for this exam, officials said.

Over 5 lakh students are likely to be benefitted by this scheme. "We had received many requests from former students to give them a final chance to clear their backlogs which was then approved in the recent syndicate meeting," IDE director S Aravindhan said.

He added that the university offered many basic sciences and professional degree courses in the distance mode, some of which were old and have been scrapped now.

"We need to work with subject experts to set question papers and arrange for answer scripts evaluation. After streamlining requisites, we will announce the examination dates," said Aravindhan.

Details of the scheme will soon be updated on the IDE's website, he added.

Varsity officials said the initiative will also ensure revenue "boost" for the cash-strapped university "Every year, the IDE generates over 100 crore revenue through admission and examination fees. They are one of the major sources of income," said an official.