BENGALURU: Following no positive response from the UGC for eight months, the Karnataka State Open University (KSOU) has finally moved the high court, seeking directions to the UGC to grant recognition to the varsity for the academic year 2017-18 with regard to the in-house courses/programmes offered by it directly.During the hearing, the counsel of the UGC submitted that application for the academic year 2018-19 is being considered. “However, with regard to the issue of recognition retrospectively for 2016-17 or and 2017-18, the fixed time schedule has lapsed. Hence the UGC may have difficulty in processing or granting permission,” he submitted.
In counter, varsity’s counsel submitted that the application for the academic year 2017-18 has been pending since February, 2017, and the delay has been occasioned by the UGC. After hearing the arguments, Justice G Narendar directed the UGC to submit the statement of objections by October 31. In its petition, KSOU contended that there is no dispute that the varsity is offering two- tier system of distance education since 2011.
It is also not in dispute that the UGC has only observed illegalities and irregularities in admission by academic collaborative system of education, and certainly no violations are found in Direct System of Distance Education (in-house admissions). Though no violation was reported in its report, the UGC still did not continue recognition to all the courses and degrees, the petition added.“Whenever some illegalities are found in the system, they are removed by taking appropriate measures. No purpose would be served by closing down the entire system, the varsity pleaded.