Pondicherry University grants last chance to distance education students to complete their degrees. Here's what it will cost them

The Pondicherry University has decided to grant an additional chance for distance education students pursuing MBA and post-graduate programmes who have exhausted the maximum period prescribed for completion of the degree programme. The decision was taken by Vice-Chancellor Professor Gurmeet Singh following a slew of requests received from across the country.

As per the notification released by the varsity, all MBA students of 2005-06 academic year to 2016 calendar year batch and MCom and MA students of 2014-15 to 2016 calendar year batch who have exhausted the maximum prescribed period for completion of course will be granted one more chance in order to complete the programme. "We received a lot of requests from students over the pandemic time to allow them one last chance to complete the degree. The university collectively felt that we can help our students in these tough times by helping them finish their degrees which will help them get a job," said Professor CK Ramaiah, Director of the Directorate of Distance Education at Pondicherry University.

But this comes at cost — Rs 5,000 to be precise. The students need to re-register themselves by paying a registration fee of Rs 5,000 and an additional examination fee to register for the exam. The last date for receipt of the re-registration fee and exam application is January 25, 2022.

The director said that there are minor changes to the papers that would have to be attempted by the students. "We have released a list of substitute papers that students need to take because the previous set of courses have been discontinued. They are mostly minor changes in the syllabus. We have updated the contents on our website for the students, especially during the pandemic period when we added a lot of digital resources including lectures, digital books and syllabus," he said.

Regarding the mode in which examinations would be conducted, Professor Ramaiah informed that the exams will be online but in a pen and paper format. "The examinations for the distance learning programmes will be conducted in online mode wherein the students would have to write the exam in pen and paper format and mail their answer sheets on the same day as the examination via speed post or registered post. If delivered on the following day, the paper will not be evaluated," he explained.