Prasanna Kumar T.R., who was aspiring for a teacher’s job in the State-run Morarji Desai Residential School, was in for a rude shock on receiving a letter from the Bengaluru office of Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC).
In the letter, which the candidate received on July 31, the KPSC said his candidature cannot be considered since he obtained B.Ed. degree from Karnataka State Open University (KSOU) in October 2013.
The said degree cannot be considered since the UGC had derecognised its courses in its recent public notice.
In view of this, the candidate won’t qualify for the interview, the assistant secretary, Recruitment, KPSC, Bengaluru, said in the letter, a copy of which is available with The Hindu .
Similarly, the opportunity to attend interview was declined to Chandramma G.S. for the post of Kannada teacher at Morarji Desai Residential School as she had completed her MA from KSOU in 2013.
The UGC, in its public notice on June 16, had terminated recognition to KSOU courses beyond 2012-13.
The fear of KSOU degree-holders on the fate of their degrees is now coming true in the light of UGC’s move. When contacted, KSOU Vice-Chancellor M.G. Krishnan told The Hindu over phone, “I too have learnt about the KPSC’s move from the media and students, but I have not received any communication from the KPSC on our degrees.”
Many candidates, including those with doctoral degrees and wishing to secure teachers/lecturers’ jobs, had enrolled to the B.Ed. course in KSOU.
A group of aggrieved candidates met the Vice-Chancellor at his office in Muktagangotri here on Saturday and sought clarification.
“I told the students that it’s a matter of time for the UGC to reconsider its decision. The students are free to consider legal steps since the Kerala High Court had recently stayed the UGC’s move,” he said. Prof. Krishnan said KSOU’s collaborative institutions in Kerala had moved the high court and brought stay on the UGC’s move.
“KSOU will wait for the UGC to reconsider its decision. Something positive is expected to emerge by next week,” he replied.
To a question on the validity of courses like B.Ed. before 2012-13, Prof. Krishnan said, “B.Ed. course was valid until the UGC suspended its recognition from 2012-13.”
