The esteemed Academic Council of the University of Madras (UoM) has decided to hit the pause button on a significant proposal: a new four-year dual degree program in basic sciences. This ambitious initiative, planned in collaboration with the prestigious University of Melbourne, faced numerous objections from council members, leading to its deferment.
The proposed program was envisioned as an exciting extension to UoM’s existing B.Sc. (blended) Science program, launched in 2022, and would have been delivered through its Department of Theoretical Physics. Students enrolling in this dual-degree track would have had a unique opportunity: complete their first two years at UoM and then choose to either finish a three-year blended degree there or spend their third and fourth years at the University of Melbourne. The latter path would have culminated in two distinct qualifications: a Bachelor of Basic Science from UoM and a Bachelor of Advanced (Honours) from the University of Melbourne.
However, this innovative offering encountered substantial resistance due to concerns about its design and features. A primary point of contention was its alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. While the NEP advocates for four-year undergraduate programs, Tamil Nadu has shown reluctance in adopting this policy for its higher education institutions. P.K. Abdul Rahiman, Head (in-charge) of the JBAS Centre for Islamic Studies, highlighted this policy ambiguity, stating, “There was a lack of clarity on where Tamil Nadu stood on this issue, and we brought that to the notice of the Council.”
Another significant issue raised by several members was the program’s language component. Existing state government regulations mandate Tamil or another regional language as a compulsory subject for all undergraduate courses. Yet, the proposed blended course only included one paper in English and lacked provisions for any other language, a clear deviation from government norms.
Professor K. Kathiravan, Head of the Department of Biotechnology, pointed out additional structural flaws. He questioned the program’s equivalence to established core subjects like Physics, Chemistry, or Mathematics. Furthermore, the proposed title, “B.Sc Advanced (Honours),” was deemed ambiguous and lacked specific clarity for a four-year degree.
Adding to the concerns, Professor Kathiravan also revealed the blended course’s low enrollment figures. It commenced with 11 students in its inaugural year (2022-23), saw a dip to just three students in 2023-24, and only slightly recovered to seven students in 2024-25, indicating a potential lack of interest or awareness even before the dual degree component was introduced.