Fri May 30 13:21:25 UTC 2025: **Summary:**

Tirunelveli MP C. Robert Bruce is urging the Tamil Nadu Minister for Higher Education, Govi Chezhiaan, to reconsider a proposed merger of Anna University’s Tirunelveli Regional Office with Tirunelveli Government Engineering College. Bruce argues that the merger would negatively impact rural students, teaching staff, and research opportunities, particularly for women pursuing PhDs. He highlights past actions by the AIADMK government that reduced course offerings and claims the merger would also harm the “Naan Mudhalvan” scheme. He asks the state government to allow the regional office to continue to operate as a separate institution and reinstate previously removed postgraduate programs.

**News Article:**

**Tirunelveli MP Opposes Merger of Anna University Regional Office**

**TIRUNELVELI, May 30, 2025** – Tirunelveli Member of Parliament, C. Robert Bruce, has formally requested that Minister for Higher Education, Govi Chezhiaan, halt plans to merge Anna University’s Regional Office in Tirunelveli with the Tirunelveli Government Engineering College. In a memorandum submitted recently, Bruce argued that the merger would have detrimental effects on local students, faculty, and research programs.

Bruce emphasized the regional office’s importance in providing accessible higher education to rural students, particularly those with lower cut-off scores. He noted that previous decisions by the AIADMK government to reduce course offerings, including the removal of postgraduate and Master of Computer Applications programs, already disadvantaged students.

“Merging this regional office will negatively impact students participating in the Chief Minister’s ‘Naan Mudhalvan’ scheme and jeopardize the jobs of 70 non-teaching staff,” Bruce stated. He also expressed concern about the relocation of 33 research guides, including 20 women, which would severely limit PhD opportunities in the region, especially for female students.

Bruce is advocating for the Anna University Regional Office to remain a separate entity and for the reinstatement of the MCA and other postgraduate programs previously offered. He argues that these actions are crucial to maintaining educational access and opportunities for the people of Tirunelveli.

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