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After the multiple protests at Madras University, M Phil research programme in the Department of Politics and Public Administration has been scrapped halfway through the academic year, spelling trouble for the students who had taken the course.
The students alleged that the decision was taken to target them for the protests, whereas the varsity maintained that the course was discontinued as the students possessed invalid bonafide certificates.
Four students pursuing the course were also suspended for protesting the alleged demotion of former acting Head of the Department, Professor Ramu Manivannan.
However, the students had recently approached the Madras High Court, which had then directed the university to revoke the suspension orders of the students.
The M Phil students was shocked to know that the course was discontinued for this year while returned to the university campus on Friday.
University registrar David Jawahar said all the five M Phil students had presented bonafide certificates, issued by Manivannan a month prior to the department committee meeting involving all the faculty.
“Since the committee members did not have a say in the admission and other deserved applicants might have got the opportunity if not for these students, a letter was sent to Manivannan seeking an explanation. However, as it was already quite late, the course was discontinued,” he added.
Denying the claim, Manivannan said that he had not signed any bonafide certificate, and charged the university with playing with the lives of students through such unethical practices.
