Sir,

It is very sad to note that one more life is lost due to the cumulative effect of irresponsible acts of commission and omission by successive management personnel in Karnataka State Open University – KSOU (SOM dated Nov. 18).

As one who has witnessed from close quarters the goings on at the KSOU, formerly ICC&CE, I was sure that this situation was waiting to happen and it took so long is a mystery. Not that it happened!

V. Urs was at the helm when the Institute was started in two rooms of the Crawford Hall. Nobody had a clear idea on how to go about running it. But, malpractices started then itself when hundreds of postal orders were knocked off and encashed first by one or two employees and how many later is unknown.

The higher officers failed to curb such acts with a firm hand. Nepotism crept in. Many so-called teachers had never faced a class or given a lecture to an open class of students. Some post-graduate course teachers would not write their lessons and the reason one gave was that he has to tell the same thing at the contact programme and so he would give it after the contact programme was over.

Degree was being awarded by the University of Mysore. A Kannada MA degree awarded to a regular student who undergoes rigorous training for two years was equal to the Kannada MA degree awarded to a KSOU student who sits in his home, reads the Master lessons sent by post, sends his response sheets which may never be evaluated and the result made known to the student.

Whereas a particular discipline in Manasagangothri would take in about 24 or 30 students per year, the students enrolled for the same discipline in KSOU often crossed the 1000-mark. When both MA degrees are equal to each other in the employment arena, the sudden surge in MAs caused lot of problems for job-seekers.

When the work-load increased, because of many administrative problems, the KSOU employed a number of persons on daily wages. They were never confirmed even after 25 years. No Director or VC ever took upon them to solve these problems or improve the quality of education that was being ‘imparted’ by the KSOU. They were busy opening more courses, constructing new buildings and many other non-academic activities.

Scandals of all types and dimensions have happened in the last 40 to 45 years of KSOU’s existence. Whenever investigating agencies started looking into the allegations against KSOU, as always, they failed to prove anything due to ‘lack of evidence.’

Fixing of responsibility for the mistakes committed by individuals and punishing them may never happen. But the damage done to students, staff and others over the years also can never be redressed. It is really an unfortunate situation. Who will compensate for the time lost and money spent by lakhs of students? Can anyone suggest a workable solution to the KSOU affairs?

– R. S. Mohan Murthy, Jayanagar, 19.11.2017

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