Issue marks cards to KSOU students, panel tells govt

An expert committee constituted to look into the issues of the Karnataka State Open University (KSOU) is learnt to have recommended to the state government to immediately issue marks cards to 96,000-odd students who have completed their graduate and postgraduate courses after 2012.

The committee, which submitted its report to the government on November 29, is also said to have recommended that KSOU's funds of around Rs 560 crore should not be diverted to other varsities, as there is no legal provision to do so. The panel is headed by chief secretary K Rathna Prabha, previously additional secretary.

"Marks Cards have not been provided to students who completed graduate and postgraduate courses in Arts, Science and Commerce. Due to this, they are deprived of opportunities in higher education and employment. It is recommended that, aside from technical courses, marks cards of all other courses should be provided at the earliest," sources said.

The government had constituted the expert committee, asking it to explore the possibilities of diverting the varsities' funds and staff to other universities. With the University Grants Commission refusing to accord recognition to the varsity 2013-14 onwards, the government felt that the funds were going waste and that the teaching and non-teaching staff were drawing salaries, though there was no work to be done.

Sources in the higher education department said that since the High Court of Karnataka had directed the University Grants Commission (UGC) to consider KSOU's request for recognition by December 11, the contents of the committee's report could not be disclosed.

The sources said that the committee was keen on protecting the interests of the students, whose higher education and job prospects had been hindered, owing to the derecognition.

The committee is said to have recommended to the government to direct the Karnataka Public Services Commission and the Karnataka Examination Authority to consider the students for government jobs. Also, certificates should be provided to students from other states, who had enrolled for various courses through distance mode, it said.