SNGOU hopeful of getting UGC nod for 10 more programmes

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Sree Narayana Guru Open University (SNGOU), which is currently offering seven programmes in the open and distance learning mode, is hopeful of getting the UGC approval for 10 more courses in both undergraduate and postgraduate levels soon.

The Kollam-headquartered university had sought approval for 17 courses from the UGC last year but got the nod for only seven programmes. The UGC found that only one of the five schools in the fledgling university had a full-time head. Therefore, the courses under the School of Languages were given approval.

SNGOU Pro-Vice-Chancellor S V Sudheer told TNIE that the varsity has carried out faculty appointments to the four other schools and appraised UGC of the steps taken. “We have fulfilled all the parameters for approval and the interaction with the UGC team has been completed. We expect to obtain the approval for the courses soon,” he said.

Subject to the UGC approval, the university will be able to call for admissions to the 10 courses in the January cycle itself. However, with the admissions to distance education programmes more or less completed in the state, the varsity may call for new admissions only later this year, sources said.

The courses for which the varsity is awaiting approval include undergraduate programmes in History, Economics, Sociology, Philosophy, Commerce, Computer Applications and Business studies. The PG programmes for which UGC approval is pending are History, Sociology and Commerce.

Last year, SNGOU obtained approval to conduct courses such as BA in English, Malayalam, Hindi, Arabic, and Sanskrit and MA in English and Malayalam. A total of 5,700 students across the state had enrolled in these programmes and classes are currently underway.

SNGOU clause
According to a provision in the SNGOU Act passed by the legislature, state universities will not be allowed to offer courses in the Open and Distance Learning mode once the new university starts functioning. Last year, the High Court, in an interim order, had stopped the Kerala and Calicut universities to admit students to the seven courses for which SNGOU had received UGC approval. In the wake of last year’s interim order, the Kerala and Calicut universities admitted students to the courses that were not offered by the SNGOU. Last week, the HC further confirmed its earlier order but did not go into the merits of the statutory provision that allegedly grants a ‘monopoly’ to SNGOU in the field of open and distance learning in the state.

Programmes awaiting UGC approval
UG (7):  History, Economics, Sociology, Philosophy, Commerce, Computer Applications, Business Studies PG (3): History, Sociology, Commerce