SHIVAMOGGA: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has permitted four universities in Karnataka to offer online graduation and post graduation courses from 2020-21 academic year. Kuvempu University and University of Mysore will offer 12 various courses while Jain and Yenepoya varsities (deemed to-be) can offer nine and one courses, respectively.
The UGC in a letter issued on June 11, 2021, permitted four universities in the state to offer full-fledged online courses without prior approval of the UGC, as per provisions stipulated under regulation 3(B)(a) of the UGC (Open and Distance Learning Programmes and Online programmes) Regulations 2020 in Supersession to this office letter dated on March 2021.
Vice-chancellor B P Veerabhadrappa said the impact of Covid-19 forced academicians to think out of the box and to come out with new possibilities in the field of education. “Currently, education is turning into a mode of ‘online education’. Now, the UGC has permitted us to offer online courses to the doorstep of those longing for higher education. Kuvempu University is one among the 38 universities in the country to commence online education and it is a proud moment for us,” he said.
It was a setback for the Kuvempu University earlier when the amendment permitted only KSOU to offer distance courses in the state. Now, the UGC has permitted the university to offer courses through open and distance learning and online modes, said S S Patil, registrar of the university.