Court stays transfer of courses

KOCHI: The High Court on Tuesday stayed a controversial condition in the Open University Ordinance that directed the transfer of all distance education courses being offered by the four state universities to the newly announced Sreenarayana Guru Open University. Justice Devan Ramachandran issued the order on the petition filed by K R Ashok Kumar, secretary of District Educational Society, Pathanamthitta, challenging the Ordinance. 

UGC informed the court that as per the UGC Act, the government must approach the Commission to obtain recognition and only after that can it transfer students to the new Open University.The government pleader sought time to collect details when the court asked whether the state had approached UGC for approval. 

Issuing a stay on the transferring of courses and students, the court said: “Unless the court is convinced that recognition has been granted by the UGC, transferring of students and other staff from the existing state universities cannot be allowed.” The court posted the case on October 16.