The latest notification of the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) for appointment of second division assistants has dashed the hopes of thousands of aspirants who studied at the Karnataka State Open University (KSOU). The notification bars students who completed their II PUC through bridge courses offered by any open university.
KSOU launched the bridge course in 2012, claiming that it was the equivalent of II PUC, but it has now been declared illegal and, consequently, students find themselves not qualified to apply for KSPC posts. This is only the latest in a saga of disappointments for KSOU, which was stripped of recognition by the University Grants Commission with effect from 2014.
While the authorities are grappling with the issue of recognition with focus on corruption, the fate of students has not received enough attention. The Mysore Grahakara Parishat (MGP), which has approached the Prime Minister’s Office for an early resolution to the matter, has been flooded with complaints from KSOU students.
It has complied a 62-page document full of these complaints. The email complaints submitted to the MGP highlight the trauma of the students who stare at a bleak future.
A case in point is a government teacher from Kushalnagar. He enrolled for a PG course in 2013–14 and completed it in 2014. KSOU had UGC recognition at the time of his admission, but by the time he graduated, it was stripped of recognition and the teacher not only lost two years but also the course fee of ₹50,000. Now, his promotion has been held up.
The case of an ex-serviceman from Haryana is equally tragic. He applied to KSOU in 2013 to pursue a PG course in geography. On the basis of this PG course, he passed the National Eligibility Test and applied for the post of assistant professor in the Higher Education Department in Haryana. “Though I was selected for the post, I could not produce a degree certificate and hence, my candidature was rejected. I visited KSOU, stayed for two days, and finally got a letter which proved worthless. If my PG course is not valid, then my NET also becomes invalid. At age 40, I find it difficult to start from scratch again,” he says in his complaint.
Another complainant, G. Ramesh, applied to the post of assistant librarian in the Department of AYUSH through KPSC. He had completed his one-year Bachelor of Library Information Science course from KSOU, but his application was rejected on the grounds that the course was unrecognised.
