Annamalai University students in a fix as TNAU demands NOC for PG admission

Postgraduate and MPhil students who have visited the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) to join courses were shocked and engaged in a protest after the TNAU demanded a NOC from them here on Monday.

"I have completed BSc in agriculture from Annamalai University. I have appeared for the TNAU entrance exam to join the postgraduate course in agriculture last month and the result was published on TNAU website three days ago. I have also been selected for the certificate verification at TNAU. In this regard, I paid Rs 27,296 as fees," B Keerthika, a student from Ariyalur district told Express. "I was shocked to find out that the TNAU had announced that we should bring an UG NOC during the certificate verification process on Monday. As a result, I along with my friends went to Annamalai University to get the NOC. They gave a letter saying that they will not issue an NOC even though the government has passed an order (order number 171), stating that the order will not be applicable to their institution. The letter also says that the students of this university may kindly be permitted for admission into PG and PhD programme without insisting NOC. But the TNAU authorities did not accept the letter and refused to grant us admission."

She added that TNAU conducted 2018-19 academic year postgraduate students' admission at the university campus on Monday in which 320 candidates participated across the state. However, as many as 170 students from Annamalai University were not given admission citing lack of NOC. When asked about it, the in charge of TNAU PG, Dean U Shivakumar said that postgraduate admission at TNAU was called for with an eligibility condition that only candidates from state agricultural universities ICAR accredited institute will be admitted as per PG admission brochure 2018-19.

Further, the candidates were allowed to write the examination with a condition that they have to produce either NOC (as per government order 171, dated July 9 2018) or ICAR accreditation certificate from the institute where they have last studied. They were made to sign an undertaking before the written examination that said that they accept this clause.

The shortlisted candidates not from State Agricultural University (SAU), non-ICAR accredited institutes were adequately informed through the website, e-mail id and call letter. On submission of the NOC from the state government or accreditation from ICAR, the admission for the shortlisted candidates will be considered.

TNAU Vice-Chancellor, K Ramasamy, said that the ICAR has sought the NOC from the students to improve the quality of agricultural education three years ago. However only this year, they made the NOC compulsory. "We have given 15 days time to the students to submit the NOC from their university," he said. 

However, Annamalai university VC V Murugesan could not be reached for comments despite repeated efforts. When contacted Sunil Paliwal Secretary Higher Education said that they will look into the issue.