A major controversy has erupted in Tamil Nadu’s academic circles following a formal complaint filed by the Legal Rights Protection Forum (LRPF) against the Registrar of the University of Madras, Prof. S Elumalai, for allegedly endorsing large-scale academic fraud involving Loyola (Autonomous) College, Chennai. The complaint, submitted to the Governor of Tamil Nadu, seeks immediate disciplinary action against the registrar and calls for the cancellation of all M.A. Philosophy degree certificates issued fraudulently under the name of the University of Madras.
The complaint alleges that Loyola College has been unlawfully conducting its M.A. Philosophy program at an unapproved off-campus facility named Satya Nilayam, a Jesuit missionary training center. Despite this, students completing their studies at Satya Nilayam allegedly received degree certificates bearing the name and official logo of the University of Madras—a violation of university affiliation rules.
Key Allegations In The Complaint
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Unauthorized Off-Campus Operations: The M.A. Philosophy program, officially affiliated with Loyola College, is allegedly being conducted at Satya Nilayam, which is not an approved campus under the University of Madras.
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Manipulation of Online Records: Following the previous complaint filed on February 27, 2025, Satya Nilayam allegedly removed all references to Loyola College from its official website—an attempt to erase evidence of wrongdoing. However, digital archives like the Wayback Machine retain historical records, confirming the prior affiliation.
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Fraudulent Issuance of Degrees: The complaint includes a copy of an M.A. Philosophy degree certificate issued in 2005 under the name of the University of Madras to a student enrolled at Satya Nilayam instead of Loyola College.
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Failure of University Oversight: The University of Madras allegedly failed to conduct mandatory inspections of Loyola College’s campus, leading to unchecked violations. Additionally, an RTI response from 2023 shockingly revealed that the university had “lost” the original affiliation order for Loyola College.
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Potential National Security Violations: The forum claims that Loyola College has been inviting foreign nationals under the pretense of academic studies but instead providing missionary training at Satya Nilayam—a possible breach of Indian visa regulations and a national security concern.
Demands For Action
The Legal Rights Protection Forum has urged the Tamil Nadu Governor to:
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Initiate disciplinary proceedings against the Registrar of the University of Madras for failing to prevent or investigate the alleged fraud.
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Cancel all M.A. Philosophy degrees issued by Loyola College since 1998 under the University of Madras’ name.
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Direct law enforcement agencies to investigate and register an FIR against Loyola College management for academic fraud and misuse of university credentials.
University & Loyola College Yet to Respond
Despite the severity of the allegations, neither Loyola College nor the University of Madras has issued an official statement in response to the complaint. Academic circles and student communities are now demanding greater transparency and accountability in the university’s affiliation policies.
As the controversy unfolds, the Tamil Nadu government and higher education authorities are expected to take cognizance of the issue, with many calling for an independent inquiry into the matter.
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