The career of around 74,000 students is at stake as the Gauhati University (GU) has offered 21 unapproved courses through its distance learning centre for seven years, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has said in a report.

The GU has collected Rs 39 crore as enrolment fees from the students by offering these unapproved courses during the year 2010-11 to 2016-17, the report mentioned.

The CAG report was tabled during the ongoing Winter Session of the Assam Assembly. The report stated that the varsity had submitted multiple false affidavits to the University Grants Commission (UGC), assuring that it will not start any new distance course without its approval.

The Institute of Distance and Open Learning (IDOL) of the GU was recognised by the Indira Gandhi National Open University and Distance Education Council (DEC) in August 2010 for offering eight courses for three years from 2010-11.

The recognition was offered based on the recommendations of the joint committee comprising the UGC, DEC and the All India Council for Technical Education, the CAG report mentioned.

As per the CAG report, 73,912 students were enrolled in 19 courses out of 21 unapproved courses during the year 2010-11 to 2016-17. No admission was recorded in MSc-Mathematics and PGD-Insurance Management.

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