KSOU Vice Chancellor Prof B A Viveka Rai said, in a press conference here on Thursday, that Governor Rameshwar Thakur, who is also the Chancellor, will preside over the convocation. Prof V N Rajashekharan Pillai, Vice Chancellor of the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and Chairman of the Distance Education Council (DEC), New Delhi, will deliver the convocation address. 

Eminent Hindustani singer Dr Gangubai Hangal, eminent historian Prof B Sheik Ali, popular science writer Prof G T Narayana Rao and freedom fighter K Chennabasappa will be awarded the Honorary D Litt, at the convocation.

Recognition

When asked about the move in Tamil Nadu not to recognise PhDs awarded by open universities, Registrar (Evaluation) G Ramaratan said that the guides for the PhDs awarded by KSOU were all well qualified and insiders, including the course staff. This helped the university have a control over the quality of PhDs awarded. Rai said that KSOU was also thinking of awarding M Phil degrees from next year, and would ensure that the guides for the same are from within the university.

Referring to the convergence courses as proposed by Sam Pitroda, and the credit transfer system, to help distance education students to switch from one open university to another during the course, Rai said that a meeting of the VCs of the 13 open universities in the country will be held in Chennai on March 1, to discuss issues like credit transfer and syllabus. All such issues will need to conform to rules laid down by the Distance Education Council, New Delhi, Rai added.