Mysuru: The Forum of Former Vice Chancellors of Karnataka (FVCK), expressing serious concern about the plight of lakhs of students of Karnataka State Open University (KSOU), has come out with a few solutions to mitigate the problems and has suggested ‘Proficiency Test’ for students.

In a statement, the Secretary of the Forum Dr. R.N. Sreenivasa Gowda has said that University Grants Commission (UGC) had cancelled recognition of all the academic programmes of KSOU based on alleged gross irregularities committed by the university violating rules/ norms /guidelines of earlier the Distance Education Council and now the Distance Education Bureau.

There are nearly three lakh students of KSOU for the years 2013, 2014 and 2015. Many of these students have KSOU degrees or Diplomas on hand but not able to use them either for employment or for further studies, he said.

The FVCK suggests that a ‘Proficiency Test,’ may be conducted to all the three lakh students who have no validity of their degrees/diplomas through an objective test covering the entire syllabus concerned of each course, said Dr. Gowda.

According to the Forum, this should be similar to CET/NEET tests conducted for PUC students to professional courses. However, it warns that the Proficiency Test should be conducted only with the approval of UGC.

It pointed out that the test can be conducted either by KSOU or entrusted to any other national testing organisation that has already established credibility on such matters.

It is learnt that the State Government has constituted a Committee under the chairpersonship of an Additional Chief Secretary to Government to look into the issues related to the problems of KSOU and its future.

KSOU should be able to get prospective permission from UGC without any hurdle provided KSOU has applied to UGC for recognition fulfilling the requirements of New Regulations that are effective from June 2017. UGC may constitute an expert Committee with members conversant with ODL to scrutinize the application that has been submitted to UGC by KSOU, said Dr. Srinivasa Gowda.  

Dr. Gowda has noted that due to delay in the clearance by UGC for 2017, KSOU has filed a Writ of Mandamus before Karnataka High Court seeking directions to UGC to clear its application for prospective recognition.

In an appeal to the State Government, the Forum has asked it not to implement any recommendations of the Committee, since the Writ is pending before the High Court and instead support the stand of KSOU to get prospective recognition by UGC at the earliest.