BENGALURU: Karnataka State Open University (KSOU) will offer skill-based courses along with general degree and postgraduate courses for the current academic year for which applications will be invited soon.
Following the permission given by University Grants Commission (UGC) to offer courses for the academic year 2018-19, KSOU is waiting for official communication from the UGC to issue a public notice inviting applications for the courses. This year, along with general courses, the university will offer skill-based courses which will give hands-on experience to students in various subjects.
"We are yet to get the hard copy of the permission provided by UGC to offer courses for the current academic year. Once we receive it, we will issue an notification about admissions to various courses for the academic year 2018-19," KSOU Vice-Chancellor D Shivalingaiah said.
Shivalingaiah said the university is ready with the syllabus for skill-based courses and the same will be announced in the notification. According to the syllabus framed, the varsity will offer skill-based courses like English Communication. He said that in coming years the university has plans to offer only skill-based courses. "This year we will offer skill-based courses along with general courses, but in coming years we will offer only skill-based diploma and certificate courses.”
Appeal before commission
Considering that UGC has not given permission to offer admissions in around 12 courses at KSOU, the university has decided to appeal before the commission seeking permission along with the necessary compliance. While giving permission for KSOU to admit students for the current academic year recently, UGC allowed KSOU to admit students only for 17 of the 29 courses available at the university. “We are waiting to know the reason for the rejection by the commission. Once we get to know it, we will appeal,” VC said.