Mysuru: Students of Karnataka State Open University (KSOU) have claimed that the varsity has stopped conducting contact classes and issuing study materials. Instead, students are asked to read the e-content sent to them.Students say it fails to serve the purpose of the distance education system. According to university insiders, earlier, contact classes were conducted for candidates registered for undergraduate courses on weekends, while contact classes were conducted for postgraduate students in major cities like Mysuru, Bengaluru, Mangaluru, Hubballi-Dharwad, Kalaburugi, etc. The candidates were provided with high-quality study materials.However, no such classes are being conducted, nor are study materials provided, causing problems for the students. “During the admission counselling, I was informed that there would be online classes and contact classes in the major cities once a year. But for the last two years, no such classes were conducted. Only notes are shared via social media channels. It serves no purpose,” explained an MA student who didn’t want to be named. Sources in the university confirmed that for the last two to three years, contact classes are not organised systematically. They alleged that even though online classes are assured, candidates are kept in the dark about that as well. “Contact classes were conducted on a weekly basis for the UG students, while it was once a year for PG students. The faculties concerned were taking classes in different cities. It was part of the distance education system.Now we are also receiving a lot of complaints over the non-holding of contact classes. But we are also helpless,” they informed.Despite repeated attempts, VC Sharanappa V Halse and registrar Naveen Kumar SK were not available for comments.
