THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala High Court nod for state universities to offer select courses in distance mode this year has brought relief to many aspirants. However, not all who want to pursue open learning in the state are out of the woods.
As per the interim order, universities can offer distance learning in all courses, except the seven for which the Sree Narayana Guru Open University (SNGOU) has received the nod of the University Grants Commission (UGC).
However, 10 more courses under SNGOU are awaiting the UGC’s nod. If they don’t get approval and if the other universities do not offer them in the meantime, thousands of students who want to pursue the courses will be left in the lurch.
The SNGOU Act says other universities have to wind up their distance education programmes once the new varsity, headquartered in Kollam, starts offering the courses. SNGOU had sought UGC’s approval for 17 courses, but received the nod only for seven – BA in Malayalam, English, Hindi, Sanskrit, Arabic and MA in Malayalam and English – offered by its School of Languages.
With the UGC approval delayed, a few students had approached the High Court seeking a stay on the ‘prohibitive’ clause in the Act. They also sought a nod for other universities to offer distance learning this year. The interim order was passed on this plea.
SNGOU Vice-Chancellor Mubarak Pasha said the varsity will file an appeal for getting the nod for the remaining 10 courses after appointing full-time heads in its other schools. “We are hopeful of getting the UGC’s approval for the other courses soon,” he told TNIE.
KU to offer nine distance courses, Calicut varsity 18
In the meantime, varsities like Kerala University and Calicut University are treading cautiously, considering the possibility that SNGOU will get the nod for the other 10 courses. A Kerala University official told TNIE that they will invite applications for all courses, barring the 17 for which SNGOU had sought approval.
Sources in Calicut University said it is free to offer distance learning in all its UGC-approved courses except the seven for which SNGOU has received the nod. Kerala University is planning to invite applications for two UG and seven PG programmes, while Calicut University can offer eight UG and 10 PG programmes based on the court verdict.
“As SNGOU is hopeful of getting the nod for the other 10 courses soon, it would be ideal if other universities do not offer the courses this year,” said a top official of the higher education department.
SNGOU ’s courses approved by UGC