Future of BU's distance education courses under threat

Bangalore University's distance education courses may not take off as the varsity is yet to receive approval to offer the courses for the academic year 2020-21.

In the list of universities that got affiliation for 2020-21, there is no mention of Bangalore University. The University Grants Commission (UGC) had released the list in December last year.

According to sources, the university has failed to stick to the conditions set by the UGC while granting permission for the distance education programmes during 2018-19.

Some of the important directives the UGC set while granting permission were: opening of study centres, the appointment of subject coordinators, framing of the modern syllabus, installation of biometric attendance at all study centres, mandatory CCTV at all centres and well-equipped library facility.

"As there are no study centres identified and the university has not appointed subject coordinators, it would be difficult to get the regulatory body's approval to offer distance courses for 2020-21," said a senior official of the varsity.

However, vice-chancellor Prof K R Venugopal said he was confident of getting permission.

"We have submitted our application within the deadline, and we are in the process of finalising study centres as we have shortlisted some government colleges. We are confident of getting the UGC's permission," he said.

In 2018-19, over 7,000 students got enrolled for the courses, and in 2019-20 this number dipped to 4,000.