As meeting turns ‘fruitful’, KSOU now awaits recognition

Good days may no longer elude the Karnataka State Open University (KSOU), Mysuru, with the crucial meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday — where officials from the Union Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD), University Grants Commission (UGC), a top bureaucrat from Karnataka and senior officials from KSOU — apparently turning out to be “fruitful.”

In June 2015, UGC withdrew recognition to KSOU since 2012-13 and KSOU officials had been unsuccessfully making repeated attempts to get back its lost pride.

In what is seen as a “positive step” towards restoring the recognition, MHRD, perhaps for the first time, convened a meeting, bringing UGC, Karnataka government and KSOU together to resolve the imbroglio that has put the students’ future in trouble.

MHRD secretary chaired the meeting which was attended by MHRD joint secretary, UGC secretary, Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Karnataka, Ratna Prabha, KSOU Vice-chancellor Shivalingaiah, and Registrar Chandrashekar.

An optimistic Mr. Shivalingaiah told The Hindu over phone from New Delhi that good news was awaited “any moment” with the meeting turning out to be “constructive” for the KSOU’s prospect.

“As a first step, KSOU may get permission to commence admissions for the year 2017-18. Subsequently, our request for restoring the recognition from retrospective effect may be considered,” he said, adding that no fresh documents had been sought for restoring the recognition and this itself was a “positive development.”

While thanking Ms. Ratna Prabha for taking the lead, Mr. Shivalingaiah said no fresh conditions had been imposed with KSOU agreeing to fully comply with the UGC’s conditions.