Past irregularities cloud future of KSOU

At a time when the Karnataka State Open University (KSOU) is all set to get recognition for offering 35 courses from this academic year, the KSOU officials fear that the raking up of the past irregularities would scuttle the efforts put in so far.

Last week, a delegation of the KSOU officials, led by Vice Chancellor D Shivalingaiah, was in New Delhi to convince the officials of the University Grants Commission (UGC) to start the courses for the academic year 2018-19.

It has to be recalled that the KSOU’s recognition was cancelled in 2013 as it was found to have opened centres outside Karnataka in violation of the UGC norms. It had signed MoUs with private institutions and was offering technical courses without the approval of the apex bodies concerned.

Last August, the UGC started issuing fresh applications for renewal of recognition for courses offered by various universities. The KSOU submitted its application, formally. The UGC had asked the KSOU to meet three conditions: adhere to the policy of territorial jurisdiction, don’t offer technical courses, and don’t sign memoranda of understanding with private intuitions. The UGC had added one more condition, adoption of National Academic Depository (NAD) for issuing of degree certificates. The KSOU delegation was able to convince the UGC authorities to grant permission and the UGC nod is awaited. Now, a section of the media is digging into the past irregularities, causing embarrassment to the KSOU officials who have been struggling since a couple of years to somehow regain the lost reputation. The failure of the KSOU to initiate action in connection with the illegal regularisation of the services of 22 temporary assistant professors has been pointed out.

The appointment of the assistant professors on a temporary basis was done during the tenure of K S Rangappa and M G Krishnan (2009-13) as VCs. Their services were regularised on October 10, 2013.

In 2013, six members had approached the court, demanding regularisation of their services. The court directed the varsity to regularise their services.

Earlier, in 2011, 22 assistant professors had applied, seeking regularisation of their services. On the basis of the judgement of the six assistant professors, their services were also regularised.

As per the Karnataka State Audit and Accounts Department (KSA&AD) the KSOU incurred a loss of Rs 7.37 crore by this act. The KSA&AD said that the university regularised an additional 22 lecturers. In June 2017, the KSA&AD asked the KSOU to set right the anomalies.

“The UGC had asked the KSOU to give details of its regional centres, their infrastructure, staff strength and other resources to grant recognition to the 35 courses proposed. The count of these 22 assistant professors is included in the staff strength. Now, if this issue comes before the UGC, the KSOU will be in doldrums again,” said an associate professor.

Action against the regularised staff was recommended by the Bhakthavathsala Committee also in 2015 itself. Then also, no action was taken. It has been a long-pending issue. But, now, some vested interests are raking up the issues to scuttle the prospects of KSOU, said a deputy registrar.