Kannur: Kannur University has invited applications for 11 undergraduate and six postgraduate programmes under the 'private registration' mode -- a system not recognised by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and explicitly barred under Kerala state law.

Interim Vice-Chancellor Prof K K Saju defended the move, citing "demand from students" in remote districts such as Kasaragod, Kannur, and Wayanad. But critics, including the Vice-Chancellor of Sreenarayanaguru Open University, have called the initiative illegal. "They are doing this only to rake in money from registration fees and to protect the interests of parallel colleges," Prof Jagathy Raj V P, head of the state's only institution authorised to provide distance education, told Onmanorama.

The Kannur University UDF Senators’ Forum, affiliated with the Congress-led Opposition, has written to Governor Rajendra Arlekar, the university's Chancellor, urging him to revoke the notification issued on May 22. "Vice-Chancellors and Syndicate members across tenures are complicit in misleading students by offering a mode of study that directly contravenes UGC Regulations," wrote Dr Shino P Jose, convenor of the Forum, in a letter dated May 24.

Prof Saju claimed that the university had resolved objections raised by the open university during the previous academic year. "This is the first time a section of teachers within the university has opposed private registration. I will look into it on Monday," he said.

What the rules say
The UGC's Open and Distance Learning Programmes and Online Programme Regulations, 2020 recognises only three modes of instruction: face-to-face learning (conventional), distance education, and online learning. It mandates that institutions offering distance or online courses must provide self-study material and a minimum number of contact classes.

Kannur University's notification, however, explicitly states that no course material or contact classes will be provided but it charges around Rs 5,500 as registration fees. "They're just registering students and asking them to fend for themselves," said Prof Jagathy Raj.

The regulations also limit distance and online education to institutions with a minimum NAAC score of 3.26 (A+ or A++) or those ranked among India’s top 100 under the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF). At present, only Kerala University, Mahatma Gandhi University and Calicut University meet these criteria in Kerala. In line with these regulations, most universities -- including the University of Kerala (the top-rated in state) -- have phased out private registration.

In fact, in 2021, the Sreenarayanaguru Open University Act was passed, prohibiting Kerala University, MG University, Calicut University and Kannur University from offering distance or private registration courses. Section 47(2) of the Act explicitly bars such offerings, and Section 72 reinforces that only the open university may provide such programmes in Kerala.

A University of Kerala official confirmed that its School of Distance Education (now renamed the Centre for Distance Education) is being phased out. "We currently offer only three PG courses not covered by the open university," the official said. These include an MSc in Mathematics, an MSc in Computer Science, and Master of Library and Information Science. It has discontinued around 17 programmes because they are offered by the open university. Kerala University said it will retain its Centre for Adult and Continuing Education.

In the 2022-23 academic year, two students from Alappuzha moved the Kerala High Court, seeking to revive private registration at the University of Kerala.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) opposed the petition, saying "the existing regulations do not recognise anything called 'private registration'". The UGC's counsel also told the court that private registration "is a euphemism for allowing a student to study on his own, or with the help of private unregulated centres and to then write the examinations... This is not permissible under the UGC Regulations."

Parallel colleges: from relevance to redundancy
Parallel colleges -- the unregulated private centres -- functioned as a bypass to mainstream higher education, catering to students excluded from regular colleges. From the 1980s to the late 2000s, parallel colleges played a pivotal role in widening access to higher education for thousands of students, working rural youth, and women -- particularly those kept out of regular colleges due to distance, financial constraints, or high cut-off marks.

However, their historical relevance has waned. "The rise of recognised colleges, the tightening of UGC norms, and the fact that thousands of seats lie vacant in both aided and unaided colleges today have made the parallel college model redundant," said Dr Shino Jose.

Prof Jagathy Raj added that parallel colleges could still play a legitimate role -- by supporting students enrolled with open universities, which are the only institutions legally permitted to offer distance education. Kannur University discontinued its distance education programme in 2018 after failing to meet UGC criteria. It has a NAAC grade of B++ (2.85) and is not ranked by NIRF. Yet, it continues to offer private registration as a legitimate learning mode.

As per the May 22 notification, the university is offering 11 undergraduate programmes -- under the four-year UG pattern -- of which only BA Kannada and BA Urdu are not offered by Sreenarayanaguru Open University. Of the six PG programmes announced, four are already offered by the open university. The remaining two -- MCom (Accounting and Taxation) and MA Development Economics -- may be allowed to continue until the open university rolls out its own programmes, as per the law. But UGC regulations do not permit 'private registration' as a teaching mode.

Kannur University's notification said that the online application portal for private registration will remain open from June 2 to July 15. "We got an exemption from the government last year. This year, too, the Syndicate has done some paperwork," said Vice-Chancellor Prof Saju.

Prof Jagathy Raj is not buying it. "Higher Education Minister R Bindu has spoken against private registration multiple times,” he said. The open university V-C is particularly alarmed because the degree certificates issued to 'private' students carry no disclosure of the study mode. "There's no distinction on the certificate between a conventional student, an open university student, or someone enrolled under a mode which is illegal today," he said.

He said he will approach the Chancellor, the UGC, and the state government, again, to halt what he calls an unlawful practice.

In August 2024, he had written to Governor Arif Mohammed Khan warning that unauthorised private registration was "posing a threat to (open university's) successful existence and survival". He never got a reply. “Kannur University is gambling with the future of thousands of students by running legitimate courses through an unrecognised mode,” said Prof Jagathy Raj. “If one of our students seeking employment moves court and private registration is struck down as illegal, the fallout will be massive,” he said.