Mysore/Mysuru: After four years of difficult times, Karnataka State Open University (KSOU), Mysuru, is bouncing back with new initiation to woo candidates from across the country.

At one time, the KSOU faced ignominy after being derecognised for many months and it had virtually become defunct. Thanks to intervention of the State Government and University Grants Commission (UGC), the KSOU (formerly Institute of Correspondence Course and Continuing Education), situated in the sprawling Mukthagangothri campus, is striving to regain people’s confidence. It has state-of-the-art facilities such as sufficient number of faculty, classrooms, hostel for outside students and a library with good collection of books. The Open University can handle up to one lakh admission per year.

Speaking to SOM this morning, Prof. S. Vidyashankar, Vice-Chancellor of KSOU, said it was a proud moment as 18 alumni of this Varsity have successfully cleared the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) Exam and got selected as Karnataka Administrative Service (KAS) Officers. This has proved that the degree obtained from the KSOU was not inferior when compared with the conventional Varsities. He said the admission to KSOU will end on Oct. 31 but they have written to the State Government and the UGC to extend the last date till Nov. 30 to enable more number of students to take admission. 

This time, the Varsity is expecting around 50,000 candidates to enroll for various courses. There are 88 Study Centres in the State and the KSOU has collected Rs.20,000 as security deposit from each centre owner. 

The KSOU has its own buildings in Mysuru, Mandya, Hassan, Chikkamagalur and Chamarajanagar. Plans are afoot to have own buildings in Dharwad, Gulbarga and Mangaluru to cater to the needs of candidates from those areas. 

Open on weekends

Vice-Chancellor Prof. S. Vidyashankar said the KSOU will be open on Saturdays and Sundays till November end to facilitate the candidates working in companies and departments in other districts to come to Mysuru for admission. As on today, around 2,000 candidates have taken admission and the number is going to increase once the admission to conventional Universities end on Oct. 31. “We are expecting the total admission to around 50,000 people”, he added.

The following are the 18 alumni of KSOU who are appointed as Probationary KAS Officers:

P. S. Bhanupriya,  Commercial Tax Officer (CTO):  Hails from Panakanahalli in Mandya district. She obtained degree from KSOU in 2009-11 and served as a teacher at Govt Primary School in Hoskote near Nanjangud. Subsequently, she got recruited directly as a High School teacher at Dadahalli Govt School in HD Kote taluk. 

Speaking top SOM, she said, “I prepared for exams when I was in Degree. There is not much difference between regular and distance learning University. Some think that learning in regular University will give more knowledge  but the fact is even in distance learning one can acquire good knowledge and everything depends on students’ interest.”

M.B. Channakeshava,  Asst. Commissioner – Commercial Tax: Belongs to Muduganur Kaval village in Arkalgud taluk of Hassan. He obtained degree from KSOU in 2011. After D.Ed, worked as a teacher in a private school. “KSOU is like Kamadhenu for poor,” he said.

K.K. Kiran Kumar, Assistant Registrar (Co-op.): Hails from Kattemalalavadi in Hunsur. Obtained degree from KSOU in 2011 and worked as a teacher at Tungada Megalu Koppal Govt. School in Periyapatna.

K.R. Lavanya, Assistant Registrar (Co-op): Belongs to Tumakuru. Obtained degree in 2015. After PUC, she was working as a Village Accountant.  

M.S. Mahadeva, Chief Officer, Grade 1, Muncipal Administration: Hails from Saligrama in K.R. Nagar taluk. Worked as a Police Constable at Saraswathipuram Police Station. Obtained degree from KSOU in 2010. Later, joined as a First Division Assistant at the Co-operation Department in  Mangaluru and as a Panchayat Development Officer at Hunsur.”

Manjunath Mallappa Gundur, CTO: Hailing from Horatatnala in Koppal, he is now working at Urban Development Department (Chief Officer-Grade-1) in Ballari since three-and-a-half months. 

V.K. Manjunath, CTO: An ex-Serviceman hailing from Oodanaghatta village in Turuvekere taluk of Tumkur district, he joined Indian Army in 2001 and took VRS in 2017. He is now on probation at Bengaluru. 

M. Mohan Kumar, CTO: An ex-Serviceman, he is a native of Anekal. He joined Indian Air Force in 1996 and retired in 2016. He completed BA from KSOU, MA in Lucknow University (Distant Education) and now on probation in Bengaluru. 

V.L. Nagaraju, Asst. Director, District Treasury Office: He hails from Varakodu village in Varuna Hobli of Mysuru. He obtained  BA and MA in Kannada from KSOU in 2012. He worked as a Police Constable at Devaraja Police Station in 2009.

Prabhavati Panduranga,  Dy.SP (Civil): Hailing from Koppal district, she obtained degree from KSOU in 2011 and worked as a teacher at a degree college.

Raju Naik, Asst. Commissioner of Commercial Tax (CT): Hailing from Honnavara, he is an ex-serviceman. Obtained BA degree from KSOU in 2009; worked as Village Accountant. 

M. Ranganatha, Asst. Commissioner of CT: A native of Bandrehalli in Hiriyur taluk of Chitradurga district he is an ex-serviceman. He obtained degree from KSOU in 2017.

B.R. Rudresha, Assistant Commissioner of CT: An ex-serviceman from Bengaluru, he obtained M.Com Degree from KSOU in 2012-14 and has worked as a Village Accountant.

Savitri, Assistant Commissioner (Revenue): Hailing from Vijayapura district, she obtained  B.A, M.A and B.Ed degrees from KSOU and has served as a Primary School teacher.

Shivanand, CTO: An ex-serviceman hailing from Ballari, he obtained BA degree at KSOU in 2009.

Umesh H. Shimkeri, CTO: An ex-Serviceman, he obtained his  BA degree from  KSOU during  2009-2012.

Other KAS Officers are: M. Manasa, Chief Officer Grade-I and S. Manjula,  Assistant Registrar (Co-op.).