Mysuru-based Karnataka State Open University (KSOU) has given an opportunity to the students wishing to pursue higher education courses to take admissions for two academic programmes at a time. This was not the case earlier as the university moved the UGC seeking its nod for introducing the dual-degree programme for the benefit of students.
Thanks to the ‘A’ plus grade the KSOU was granted by the NAAC recently, the university is hoping to see a surge in admissions. The dual-degree programme too can attract the candidates for increasing the admissions, the KSOU authorities feel.
The university has announced admissions for open distance learning (ODL) courses for the July cycle and invited applications from the interested students for online enrolment for the year 2023-24. The admissions commenced on June 30 and go on till August 31. The admissions are open for UG and PG programmes besides PG diploma, diploma and certificate programmes.
Under the dual-degree programme, a student can enrol for two courses simultaneously. Admission can be availed for two full-time academic programmes simultaneously in the current admission cycle.
The students can either take up two ODL courses at a time or one distance education course and another regular course from the conventional university. “This is the new approach for making learning interdisciplinary,” according to KSOU.
Online courses
The KSOU had proposed to introduce online courses beginning this year. On getting ‘A’ plus accreditation from NAAC, KSOU has become eligible to introduce online courses in addition to regular ODL programmes. It is qualified to introduce 10 PG courses and three UG courses in online mode. However, the admissions for online courses appears unlikely in July cycle since there is no mention of online courses in the admission notification issued here, though the KSOU was confident of getting the UGC nod. However, the KSOU is confident of approval for online courses in the coming days.
The UGC has recently granted recognition to 39 new academic programmes out of 51 courses for which the recognition was sought and 12 remaining programmes are being considered. The KSOU has 139 study centres and 23 regional centres. There are plans to have a regional centre in every district for the benefit of students.
In the January cycle, more than 18,000 students had taken admissions and the university officials are hoping that the number is likely to go up by two times and one of the key factors has been the ‘A’ plus grade accreditation from the National Accreditation and Assessment Council (NAAC).
Around 8,000 students had taken admissions in the July cycle last year.
The NAAC recognition is valid for five years and the UGC recognition for courses is also valid for a period of five years.
Notably, the KSOU, which was once derecognised by the UGC, is the only university presently in Karnataka to get A-plus grade and second among 16 open universities in the country to get the recognition.
