After proposing to discontinue postgraduate degree courses and BA (Arabic) now being run by the University of Calicut on the islands, the Lakshadweep administration is learnt to have given nod to start a new community college under Pondicherry University there.
According to a letter dated August 19 by A. Anbarasu, adviser to the Administrator, to Gurmeet Singh, Vice Chancellor of the university, the college will start functioning in the ongoing academic year itself.
Pondicherry University has already issued a no-objection certificate to the administration to start undergraduate vocational courses in tourism and service industry, software development, and catering and hospitality. They will be part of the community college.
“…The university may like to add integrated BSc BEd (four years), BCom (three years), and BBA (three years) and other courses as may be needed as part of the community college,” the letter says. As an interim measure to immediately start the courses this year, the campus of Education Department, including hostel facilities, in Kadamat island can house the college initially, says the advisor.
Mr. Anbarasu also urged the Vice-Chancellor to send a team of experts/faculty from Pondicherry University to visit the islands. It would help firm up infrastructure and related arrangements as may be required, including finding suitable land for setting up the college, the letter adds.
P. Rasheed Ahammed, Calicut University Syndicate member, alleged that the administration’s tie up with Pondicherry University was a result of Calicut University authorities’ side-lining of its study centres on the islands. He claimed that the post of dean had been vacant for a year.
M.K. Jayaraj, Vice-Chancellor, University of Calicut, however, claimed that notification had already been issued to appoint a full-time dean. He pointed out that it was the Lakshadweep administration which decided to discontinue the courses.
