Degree certificate delay leaves 75K KSOU students in lurch

There are about 95,000 students who have been waiting for almost eight years for the course completion certificates

Dragging its feet over the distribution of graduation certificates to students of the 2012-13 and 2013-14 batches of Karnataka State Open University (KSOU), the state government has left 75,000 students, including BJP national General Secretary C T Ravi, former minister Umashree and KPCC president D K Shivakumar, in a fix.

The government’s silence over the distribution of the certificates despite direction from the Governor, who is also the Chancellor of the Universities, in June 2020 has jeopardised the students’ job prospects.

Governor Vajubhai Vala in his letter to the higher education department, a copy of which is with the DH, said, “The proposal of KSOU, Mysuru, requesting one-time permission to award degrees to students of non-technical courses for the year 2012-13 and 2013-14 has been considered and approved subject to the condition that the state government shall issue specific orders in this regard.”

Surprisingly, seven months after the communication from the Raj Bhavan, the higher education department is yet to comply with the direction.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) had canceled the affiliation of the university for 2012-13 to 2014-15 batches citing violation of jurisdiction and territory in granting permission to open study centres.

The inquiry conducted by the Governor had proved misappropriation in setting up of study centres and the inquiry committee recommended criminal action against the then vice-chancellor and others.

According to data obtained from the university, there are about 95,000 students belonging to these batches and have been waiting for almost eight years for the course completion certificates.

In most cases, government departments and private firms have refused offers to candidates due to the absence of degree certificates. Though according to the report by then Chief Secretary K Rathna Prabha, marks cards were issued, students said they had little value without a degree certificate.

In fact, the issue was echoed in the recent winter session of the state legislature with MLC Marithibbe Gowda raising the issue and appealing to the higher education minister to permit the issue of convocation certificates to the students.

Speaking to DH, a senior KSOU officer said, “While many including staff and others who were involved in the scam are leading normal lives, students are punished for no fault of
theirs.”