In a bizarre development, the University of Madras, which has 131 affiliated colleges has sidestepped direct accountability for Loyola College’s controversial “Diploma in Filmmaking (AI) France” program, instead directing the affiliated institution to respond to queries about the unauthorized collaboration with Paris-based Don Bosco International Media Academy (DBIMA).
The controversy came to light when the university’s Public Information Officer, responding to a Right to Information (RTI) application filed by R. Joseph Kennedy, an alumnus of Loyola College, Chennai and representative of ECA (Ending Clergy Abuse) India, forwarded the query to Loyola College rather than providing definitive answers about program approvals. The RTI sought clarification on correspondence between the university and college regarding the France exchange program, potential violations of affiliation bylaws, and the validity of degrees awarded – raising serious questions about why the parent university would defer to its affiliate on matters of regulatory compliance.
This shuffle has raised serious questions about University of Madras oversight mechanisms, particularly since Loyola College had aggressively marketed the program as a prestigious international qualification. The institution went so far as to organize a full-fledged graduation ceremony for students despite the University of Madras now suggesting it never approved the collaboration.
Adding star power to the questionable program, Loyola had enlisted prominent figures from the Tamil film industry, including renowned cinematographer P.C. Sreeram, actor Arya, veteran actor Nassar, and acclaimed editor Lenin. These high-profile associations lent an air of legitimacy that now appears potentially misleading to students who invested significant sums in the program.
Kennedy expressed outrage at the development. “This isn’t just administrative negligence – it’s a complete failure of the university’s duty to safeguard academic standards and protect students, The fact that they’re asking the accused party to investigate themselves reveals the depth of the problem.”
“They routinely dismiss legitimate queries about their operations by hiding behind vague claims of ‘no public interest.’ I won’t be surprised if they respond to this current scandal with similar evasions rather than providing transparent answers.” said Kennedy.
“DBIMA must come clean about what due diligence—if any—was conducted before attaching its name to Loyola College, an institution whose repeated scandals have made it synonymous with academic corruption in India. If this partnership proves fraudulent, I expect DBIMA to immediately revoke all certifications and publicly account for its role in misleading students. The Salesian order must not dare handle this with the same institutional cowardice displayed during the DBPPA Egmore scandal—that debacle exposed their willingness to sacrifice integrity to protect reputations.” Kennedy added.
As the Loyola-Don Bosco diploma scandal unfolds, it raises broader questions about the proliferation of international collaborations in Indian higher education and the adequacy of existing regulatory frameworks to ensure their legitimacy. With both the University of Madras and Loyola College now under scrutiny, the academic community awaits clearer answers about how such a program could operate without proper approvals.
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