Mysuru: Karnataka State Open University (KSOU) former Vice-Chancellor Dr. N.S. Ramegowda has taken strong exception to the move of the Government to allow conventional Universities in the State to start correspondence courses.

Addressing a press conference at Pathrakartara Bhavan here on Monday, he said that when there was a separate University set up to offer distance education in the State (KSOU), this decision on the part of the Government was not correct.

“The Government has informed that the permission has been given to conventional Universities to improve their financial condition. But this will result in commercialisation of education and prove that higher education is meant only for those who have money. Hence, this decision of the Government must be withdrawn,” he urged. 

The confusion that is there among the students of KSOU must be cleared. The distance education system must be further strengthened so that those who are deprived of higher education are benefited.

—Dr. N.S. Ramegowda, former VC, KSOU

Stating that spending only 20 to 30 percent of the fees collected from the Distance Education students on the Open Distance Learning (ODL) and utilising the remaining 70 to 75 percent on the conventional University was not correct, Dr. Ramegowda said: “This will have an impact on the quality of education. Distance education’s quality is quite high but with this step it will impede its growth.”