EVR Periyar College gets nod for new course without applying

In a strange turn of events, Periyar EVR College in Trichy has received an approval to launch M Sc Biochemistry programme despite not sending in the application, forcing the under-equipped institute into starting the course without forming a department.
While many faculty members are left scratching their heads over such an approval for a college that does not have a bachelor’s for the same, college sources said that the approval for the new M Sc course came following intense political lobbying.
They alleged that this was an outcome of a couple of biochemistry professors of a government college in Thanjavur region trying to obtain a transfer to Periyar EVR College. The college has started distributing applications for M Sc Biochemistry since Tuesday. But it has been struggling without enough space and may not be in a position to accommodate a new course.


Decision on starting a new course must come from the college council headed by principal with head of the department as its members. The proposal is then forwarded to the director of collegiate education and later it is taken up to the government for approval.
But in this case, no request was made by the council for such a course. A similar request was rejected twice in the last two years following opposition from the head of the departments, said a source from the college.
“It a core course like Physics, Chemistry, Biology and other arts subjects that are in good demand unlike such specialised programmes in government colleges. But we are surprised over the college getting permission to start such a course,” ,” said A Gopalakrishnan, state treasurer of the Tamil Nadu Government College Teachers Association.
However, Shantha Robinson, principal in-charge of Periyar EVR College who took over charge a few weeks ago, told TOI that they are happy that a new course is going to be started in the college.

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