Checking distance edu by varsities on excuses: experts

The decision of the state government to limit distance education courses to only those offered by Karnataka State Open University (KSOU) has come as a boon to the university that was in the news for all the wrong reasons, a few ago.

However, the government should issue guidelines to check continuation of distance education by other state universities, under various excuses, opine experts.

Former chairman of state-owned Mysuru Paints and Varnish Limited (MPVL) H A Venkatesh said, “It has taken so many years, to fulfill the objective behind the establishment of KSOU under Karnataka State Open University Act, 1992, on June 6, 1996.”

“The University Grants Commission (UGC) had withdrawn the recognition of KSOU due to technical reasons in June 2015, with effect from the academic year 2013-14. Finally, in mid-2018, KSOU’s courses started getting recognition gradually. This brought cheers among the students who had enrolled with KSOU. However, students who had enrolled with private institutions that had entered into MoUs with KSOU, were left disappointed,” said Venkatesh, who was both Senate and Syndicate member of University of Mysore (UoM).

“As per the guidelines of 2017, for open and distant learning (ODL), of the UGC, conventional universities started courses under distance education. ICC and CE was bifurcated from the UoM and KSOU was established by an Act of the state government, for the exclusive purpose of providing distance education for those who cannot pursue higher education in regular colleges and universities. If all universities offer distance education, the value of the certificates issued by KSOU will be reduced. Besides, enrolment in KSOU will be affected and quality of education will be affected,” said a retired professor, who wished to remain anonymous.

“Regular universities should concentrate on their regular courses and enhance their quality, for the welfare of students. On the pretext of helping already enrolled students, who might be in second or third year, to complete the course, regular universities may seek to continue the mode of education. However, if such universities transfer their students to KSOU, with immediate effect, they can stop their distance education mode. The government can issue an order to this effect,” said Venkatesh.