‘Awaiting UGC nod for 12 undergrad, 5 PG courses’: Kerala social justice minister R Bindu

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Sree Narayanaguru Open University for distance education is awaiting clearance for 12 undergraduate and five post-graduate courses from the University Grants Commission (UGC), said higher education and social justice minister R Bindu.
Replying to a calling attention by MLA T V Ibrahim, the minister said that all the necessary papers have been uploaded on the website when the UGC’s website for distance education was opened for inviting clearance for distance education courses in May this year. The minister said that the circular issued by the higher education department to all other universities that the distance education courses can be run only by Sree Narayanaguru Open University was issued in anticipation that the courses will be cleared by UGC, and the university can conduct the distance education courses from the academic year 2022-23 itself.
The minister said that if the clearance is not received from UGC, the government will consider allowing other universities to launch distance education courses. Other universities have begun the process of admissions for regular courses, only after which the matters regarding distance education courses will be considered, the minister added. Because of this reason, the students opting for distance education will not lose a year, as it will be conducted either under the newly-set up open university or other universities.