Even as uncertainty prevails over the resumption of universities and classroom teaching with the COVID-19 pandemic wreaking havoc in the country, the Mysuru-based Karnataka State Open University (KSOU), the State’s sole university for Open Distance Learning (ODL), is keeping itself prepared for “contactless” admissions as a means of keeping its students safe.
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Though it had introduced online admissions early this year for the January cycle, it has rationalised the system to make all admission procedures entirely contactless, including the verification of documents, so that students need not visit the Muktagangotri campus.
If the situation was normal, the July cycle of admissions would have commenced at the KSOU but schools, colleges and universities have come to a standstill with the country in the grip of the deadly virus.
In February this year, more than 5,000 students took admissions online. In view of COVID-19 scare, the KSOU, besides consolidating the system of online admissions, wants to make the contactless admissions and contactless teaching a regular feature for students’ safety and convenience.
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The university told the students to visit its website https://ksoumysuru.ac.in/ or download the KSOU Student App for latest information on the post-COVID-19 measures it had initiated for making open distance learning safe.
“We don’t know when universities are going to reopen and admissions are going to commence but we are keeping ourselves ready for the situation and provide all handiness to the students in this hour of crisis. If admissions hopefully start in October, it may go on till December. The KSOU is reckoned to be the first university in the State to take the online route for admissions,” said Vice-Chancellor S. Vidyashankar.
In ODL, contact classes are one of the key factors in bringing students face-to-face with the faculty. But, the mass contact classes are almost impossible now. However, to make learning easy, the KSOU is equipping its studios with the state-of-the-art equipment for launching live online classes in a big way.
Prof .Vidyashankar said the overseas travel restrictions had caused delay in the import of equipment, including high-definition cameras, for the studios. “Now that the online classes have taken centre stage, we wish to take the plunge, engaging students of all courses in online mode shortly,” he told The Hindu .
Nevertheless, using the available infrastructure, the KSOU made a beginning and videos of some recorded classes had been uploaded on the KSOU’s website and also made available on the app (downloaded from the Google play store). Also, the recorded radio classes of some subjects had been made available on both the platforms.
“The idea is to strengthen the online teaching platforms since our students are working professionals and not all of them can make it to live classes though it is compulsory,” the VC said.
The KSOU has also started online teaching to the aspirants of competitive examinations, including the civil services. The B.Ed online classes are also underway since June. The self-learning materials and notes are available in digital mode which can be downloaded from the app.
Prof. Vidyashankar said the university’s Information Technology department was in the process of restructuring the system for establishing a strong teaching network which can be accessed live and the recorded versions available on the website and on the mobile application for students to watch them at their convenience.