Mysuru: Expressing concern over the future of lakhs of students who had taken courses from the Karnataka State Open University (KSOU), the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) district unit has urged both the State and Union Governments to find a solution to the problem immediately.

“Aam Aadmi Party will stage a protest condemning the apathy of both the governments over the future of the KSOU students,” said district convener of the party, Seetharam Gundappa.

He was addressing a press conference at Patrakarthara Bhavan yesterday. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has not renewed KSOU’s accreditation citing several anomalies in the Open University. As a result, the future of many students at the KSOU is in doldrums.

Alleging that it was the former Vice-Chancellors of KSOU (Prof. K.S. Rangappa and Prof. M.G. Krishnan) who were the real culprits in the whole mess, Seetharam Gundappa said. “But both the former VCs are in a safe position and one has even entered politics while poor students are paying the price. Future of lakhs of students is now uncertain,” he added.

Gundappa said that CM Siddharamaiah and Higher Education Minister Basavaraj Rayareddy were issuing contradictory remarks on the issue. “There is no co-ordination between the State Higher Education Department and the Union Human Resource Development Ministry. UGC is clueless on the future course of action,” he said.

Gundappa said that AAP was trying to bring all affected students together to put pressure on the State and Centre to resolve the issue. “Innocent students are being punished by the cancellation of UGC accreditation,” he said

Though former VCs are responsible for this, many corrupt officials are being shielded,” he said and asked the students to email their problems to [email protected]