Most universities in the state, including Bangalore University, have been found to be violating an order issued by the department of higher education on distance education and correspondence courses.
The order, Ed 147 URC 2008, issued on November 7 last year, clearly states that no university is permitted to extend study centres outside Karnataka. The order also states that no university from any other state can open a study centre here.
After a meeting of the chancellors of all the varsities on December 16, 2006, the department of higher education issued this order to all the universities, asking them to prevent activities of universities from other states offering distance education programmes here.
But none of the universities are following the order. While the state’s varsities continue to operate study centres in other parts of the country, varsities from other states too are continuing to make available their distance education programmes in Karnataka.
While Bangalore University has five study centres outside the state, Kuvempu University has more than 10 such centres. Besides colleges affiliated to the state universities themselves run study centres of out-of-state varsities.
Bangalore University has appointed a high-level committee to review its study centres. The committee submitted its report on Thursday and asked the varsity to close down the study centres that it is operating outside the state, committee sources said.
The committee’s chairman, Dr Chambi Puranik, refused to reveal the panel’s recommendations. However, he told DNA, “When every university is intending to make money, who will respect the government of the distance education council’s orders? No one is bothered about enforcing regulations.”
To resolve the issue of non-implementation of circulars issued by the government/UGC/ DEC or the chancellor, Dr Puranik suggested that all stake holders meet to take uniform decisions. “I feel there is a need to establish to a state council for distance education to regulate activities,” he said.
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