KSOU students' tweet to minister, chief secretary evokes response

The students of the Karnataka State Open University (KSOU), whose courses have been de-recognised since 2013, have listed out their problems in a tweet to Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar and Chief Secretary of Karnataka K Rathna Prabha, recently. The chief secretary has responded in the positive to the tweet.

The students have listed out that they have lost marriage proposals, jobs, promotions in the job, and overseas opportunities. They have also stated that while some of them have committed suicide, most of them are under depression.

The students said that all the problems lead to depression and some of them have already committed suicide, while others have a tendency of taking the extreme step as the problem has not been solved since four years. "There is no discrimination between boys and girls. The problems are common for both. Beeralinga from Kalaburgi, who secured a degree from the KSOU in the year 2014-15, has passed the KAS preliminary exams, conducted by the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC), but he cannot appear for the KAS mains exams as his degree has been de-recognised by the University Grants Commission (UGC)," they said.

Hindrance to marriage

The students explained that possessing a valid degree and having a secure job is vital for good alliances in marriage. "Both prospective grooms and brides look for matches, who have a good educational qualification and a good job. So, the KSOU students, who have neither, do not get good marriage proposals. Some alliances, which were made before the UGC de-recognised the KSOU courses, have been cancelled now," they said.

Beeralinga said that he is at present a technician with the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) on the basis of his ITI qualification. "If I had cleared the KPSC exams, I would have been a gazetted officer. Now, I have to continue as a group 'C' employee, despite having studied hard to secure a degree from the KSOU," he said.

Geetha (name changed) from Sira in Tumakuru district, who has secured a degree from the KSOU in the year 2013-14, is supporting her family by working as a daily wage labourer. "For my PUC qualification, I do not get a good job. So, I did my degree under distant education. Even though it is distant education, my efforts to study and face the exams are no less than the students of regular courses. The marriage proposals for me are also not satisfactory as they consider me as only a PUC qualified bride," she said.

Pramod from Shivamogga is working in a court in Tumakuru. "I have cleared the KAS preliminary exams. The de-recognition of my KSOU degree is a hurdle in my way to appear for KAS mains exams," he said.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Secretary Rathna has replied to the tweet of the students, stating that she has spoken about the problem with Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar and he has assured to find a solution.