The provisions in the Sree Narayana Open University Ordinance to shift the distance and continuing education programmes and private registration of students from Kerala, Calicut, Mahatma Gandhi, and Kannur Universities and to vest it in the open university was stayed by the Kerala High Court.
The court directed the Special Government Pleader and the Standing Counsel for the University Grants Commission to inform the court whether the open university had obtained the necessary recognition from the UGC for the educational programmes.
On a question from the court whether the government had approached the UGC for necessary recognition for the university to start functioning, the Special Prosecutor sought time to file the reply.
The UGC provisions stipulates that that no higher educational institutions shall offer distance learning programme or other online programmes and admit leaders without obtaining the commission recognition. The UGC also stipulates that admissions shall not be made by educational institutions in anticipation of the recognition.
Referring to these provisions, the court noted that unless the recognition was granted to the open university, the transfer of students and staff from other universities to the new one could prejudicial to them, if the recognition was refused in future.
The court posted the case for October 16.
