Seeks Govt., UGC support for proper functioning of Open Universities

Mysuru:  Karnataka State Open University (KSOU) Vice-Chancellor Dr. S. Vidyashankar said that the State Government should bring in amendments to the KSOU Act and the University Grants Commission (UGC) should make changes in the guidelines of 2017 for Open and Distance Learning (ODL).

Addressing media persons at the KSOU premises here yesterday, he said that if there is Government support and also of the UGC in implementing these changes, then Open Universities could function more efficiently.

Reiterating his stand, he said that provisions should be made for ODL in the proposed National Education Policy. The KSOU Act and the UGC guidelines differentiate between Conventional Universities and Open Universities. Also, some Conventional and Open Universities violate the Act as well as the guidelines which results in those Open Universities which follow fair practices suffer, he said.

He pointed out that a resolution would be passed in the All-India Open Universities Vice-Chancellors’ Conference on “Role of Open Universities in 21st Century: Issues and Challenges,” to be held on Sept.6 at Convocation Hall, KSOU. The resolution will be forwarded to the State Government and the UGC for positive action, he added.

VC asks State Universities not to run ODL Courses

Dr. Vidyashankar was critical of Conventional Universities starting ODL courses and urged the State Government to stop them from starting ODL courses. He said that it was in the domain of the KSOU and if this continues then the very existence of a University meant for ODL will be at risk.

It must be noted that unlike the Conventional Universities, the KSOU does not get grants from the State Government or the UGC. It’s a self-sustained institution of higher learning and its main source of revenue was admissions, he said.

He said that if Universities were bound by ‘unrealistic rules’ and lacked freedom to function, then the target of achieving 50 percent enrolment ratio in higher education from 25 percent by 2030 was highly unlikely.

He said that he had plans of introducing ten more courses, including those in new-age subjects like Artificial Intelligence but the UGC did not call for new courses this year. Hence, it was not possible to introduce them, he added.

The University requires Rs.36 crore every year towards the payment of salaries and pensions, but if the number of admissions continue to fall despite the best efforts, then how is it possible to run the University, he asked.

KSOU admissions hit by flood situation in State

The floods that ravaged several parts of the State has also hit admissions of KSOU.

Dr. Vidyashankar said that they could have got another 5,000 admissions, apart from the 8,870 candidates who had been admitted, if the floods had not hit the State.

In spite of KSOU writing to UGC to extend admissions by one month, there was no response in this regard, he added.