M A I N   N E W S

B-school shuts shop in UK, 200 Indians hit
Govt promises all help, Britain says affected students will be adjusted in other colleges
Ashok Tuteja/TNS

TASMAC Trouble

n UK authorities ordered the closure of the London Campus of Training and Advanced Studies in Management And Communications (TASMAC) School of Business on October 6 n The closure is in the wake of the UK tightening norms in respect of visas for short-duration courses n Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday said its High Commission in London was monitoring the situation closely and would strive to ensure that students are not adversely affected

New Delhi, October 11
The government on Tuesday promised to do everything possible to ensure that Indian students are not adversely affected due to the reported closure of the London campus of a business school in the wake of the UK tightening norms in respect of visas for short-duration courses.

“It is understood that UK authorities have ordered the closure of the London Campus of TASMAC (Training and Advanced Studies in Management And Communications) School of Business, on October 6, 2011...Our High Commission is monitoring the situation closely and would strive to ensure that students are not adversely affected. It is estimated that around 200 Indian students were enrolled with the school,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesman Vishnu Prakash said here.

The UK, meanwhile, has assured Indian students affected by the closure of the school that they would be accommodated in other colleges. The University of Wales was quoted as saying in London that arrangements were being made to transfer the affected students to courses at other institutions.

In a statement, the university said it had been in discussions with other collaborative centres to arrange for the 650 students on University of Wales programmes to transfer to programmes at these institutions.” It said any transfers of students would be subject to the requirements of the UK Borders Agency (UKBA).

The statement said: “If students do have to leave the country for any reason, the university will offer the opportunity to transfer them on to a distance learning programme, apart from the option of taking an exit qualification.”

TASMAC is said to have business schools also at Bengaluru and Kolkata and the London Campus was set up in 2004. The decision to shut down the campus, which was offering BA (Hons) and MBA degrees, is believed to be related to the UK's efforts to tighten norms in respect of tier-4 student visas, said the MEA spokesperson. “Our High Commission in London has placed an advisory on its website asking affected Indian students to contact the mission for any assistance,” he said.