SAMBALPUR: Amidst growing uncertainty surrounding the fate of Odisha State Open University (OSOU) due to its recent decision to halt admissions into UG and PG courses for the current academic session, local residents have taken up the cudgels demanding the resumption of these courses.
Under the banner of ‘OSOU Banchaa Abhiyan,’ (OSOUBA) a group of citizens, on Sunday, announced their campaign to save the university, which was established in Sambalpur by the state government in 2015. They will also submit a memorandum on the matter to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, as well as the MLAs and MPs representing the region.
The committee members said OSOU had received approval to offer 14 PG and 11 UG programmes in the academic year 2018-19, which was valid for a period of five years. However, as the five-year approval period expired in 2022-23, the university stopped accepting applications for admission into the courses for the current academic session.
Convener of OSOUBA Parvez Ali Khan said it is disheartening that even after around eight years of its establishment, OSOU does not have its own infrastructure. Moreover, no teaching positions have been sanctioned for the open and distance learning university by the state government. Additionally, the university lacks NAAC accreditation. “We will urge the Union Education Minister to intervene for UGC approval for OSOU so that the courses can continue,” he stated.
Co-convenor of the outfit Sudhir Bohidar emphasised that according to UGC criteria, universities seeking fresh approval must have at least 60 per cent self-learning materials, a minimum of three teachers for each UG/PG programme and NAAC accreditation if the university has completed six years or has had two batches of graduates. “Unfortunately, due to the state government’s apathy, the university has failed to fulfil some of these criteria,” he added.