The University of Madras has suspended the MA Philosophy programme run by Loyola College for a period of three years after finding that the course was conducted in violation of affiliation norms, according to a decision taken by the university syndicate on Monday, 22 December 2025.
The suspension followed a complaint submitted by AS Santhosh, working president of the Legal Rights Protection Forum, Hyderabad, who alleged that the college was offering the MA Philosophy programme outside its approved campus. He contended that conducting the course off-campus amounted to a breach of the university’s affiliation rules and called for regulatory action.
The matter also drew official attention after a Deputy Secretary from Raj Bhavan forwarded a letter to the University of Madras along with the complaint. In addition, the National Human Rights Commission asked the university to submit a report detailing the action taken on the issue.
According to sources within the university, an inquiry committee examined the allegations and confirmed that the MA Philosophy programme had been conducted at Satya Nilayam in Adyar rather than on the designated Loyola College campus. After considering the explanation offered by the college management, the syndicate decided to suspend the programme for three academic years.
University sources further stated that Satya Nilayam was intended primarily for seminary-related activities and not for running affiliated degree programmes. However, the principal of Loyola College, Reverend A. Louis Arockiaraj, informed the Times of India that the institution had already discontinued the programme, citing poor student enrolment as the reason.
University of Madras Syndicate suspended Loyola College’s MA Philosophy program for 3 years as a penalty for academic fraud.
We are not satisfied with this inadequate action. We will take this fight further to seek stricter penalties and additional corrective measures. https://t.co/T9X2YWG3Qm pic.twitter.com/BiI7PcjSVn
— Legal Rights Protection Forum (@lawinforce) December 23, 2025
What Loyola College has done goes beyond academic misconduct. Foreign nationals, including individuals from Bangladesh, were reportedly housed at Satya Nilayam under the cover of an MA Philosophy programme run by Loyola College. A representation is being made to the Ministry of Home Affairs seeking cancellation of the institution’s FCRA registration and initiation of further legal and regulatory action.
Background
In August 2025, the University of Madras confirmed serious irregularities in the conduct of the MA Philosophy programme by Loyola College, following findings by its Inspection Commission that the course was being run without approval at the off-campus Jesuit centre, Satya Nilayam, in Thiruvanmiyur. The university submitted a detailed report to the National Human Rights Commission after the Commission flagged evasive responses from the university and issued a conditional summons. The action followed complaints filed by the Legal Rights Protection Forum with constitutional authorities, triggered by media reports on the matter. The university’s submission described “gross violations” of affiliation rules in the programme’s conduct.
The inspection found that Loyola’s Philosophy Department lacked basic infrastructure, including dedicated classrooms, faculty rooms, a departmental library, signage, and even the presence of enrolled students during inspection; classes were reportedly held in a common seminar hall. The report also flagged faculty appointment irregularities, including staff who did not meet UGC qualifications and instances of dual counting of faculty across institutions, alongside appointments made without the mandatory university selection process. Further, the university cited non-compliance with Tamil Nadu’s reservation norms, noting the failure to submit category-wise admission data despite repeated reminders, in violation of applicable Government Orders and university circulars.
Timeline Of Events
The inspection report, submitted in August 2025, follows a string of complaints filed since January alleging academic fraud, religious discrimination, and unauthorized operations at Satya Nilayam run by Loyola College. Let’s take a look at when the investigation began and how action was taken.
In January 2025, The Commune reported that Loyola College was allegedly running an unauthorised extension campus at Satya Nilayam for its University of Madras–affiliated M.A. Philosophy programme, purportedly catering mainly to Catholic seminarians. The report also flagged alleged religious discrimination, financial irregularities, misuse of UGC funds, and degrees issued despite students not attending the approved Loyola campus, claims later amplified in a video investigation by YouTuber Maridhas.
In February 2025, the Hyderabad-based Legal Rights Protection Forum filed a complaint with the Tamil Nadu Governor, also the Chancellor of the University of Madras, seeking withdrawal of Loyola College’s autonomy and affiliation. The petition alleged that Satya Nilayam, run under a separate Jesuit entity, illegally conducted courses while Loyola issued degrees, amounting to academic fraud and regulatory deception.
In March 2025, LRPF escalated the matter by petitioning Jesuit Superior General Fr. Arturo Sosa, alleging misuse of FCRA funds and UGC grants, citing disclosures by former Loyola principal Rev. Fr. Albert Muthumalai. The Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi intervened, directing the University of Madras to probe Satya Nilayam’s unauthorised operations and foreign seminarians.
Following complaints, Satya Nilayam’s website was abruptly altered in March 2025 to erase Loyola-University links, raising suspicions of cover-up. Despite repeated warnings, the University of Madras has failed to act decisively. The case highlights misuse of minority autonomy, systemic double standards, and demands urgent cancellation of affiliations and accountability.
LRPF filed a complaint with the Tamil Nadu Governor in March 2025 against University of Madras Registrar Prof. S. Elumalai, accusing him of enabling large-scale academic fraud involving Loyola College.
In April 2025, the Legal Rights Protection Forum approached the National Human Rights Commission alleging that Loyola College’s University of Madras–affiliated M.A. Philosophy programme was restricted to Christian students, amounting to religious discrimination. The complaint also accused Loyola of illegally running the course at Satya Nilayam, issuing fraudulent degrees, misusing visas, and lacking affiliation records, with no official response from Loyola or the university.
By April 2025, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) took cognizance of complaints that non-Christian students were being systematically denied admission to the M.A. Philosophy course. The NHRC issued notices to the UGC and the Registrar of the University of Madras, seeking action taken reports.
Between May and July 2025, the NHRC escalated action after Loyola College and the University of Madras failed to give satisfactory replies. On 24 May 2025, the Commission reprimanded the Madras University Registrar and UGC, and on 24 July 2025 issued conditional summons directing them to appear on 19 August 2025 unless detailed reports were filed earlier.
In August 2025, a UGC committee inspected the University of Madras and Loyola College on August 13–14. Following the inspection, the University of Madras submitted a detailed report to the NHRC on August 16, confirming serious violations by Loyola College in running its M.A. Philosophy programme, including breaches of affiliation rules, UGC norms, and state directives.
And by late August 2025, University of Madras confirmed serious irregularities by the Loyola College in Chennai after the university’s Inspection Commission report.
Finally, in December 2025, the unauthorized programme has been suspended for 3 years.
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