GetMyUni's Verdict on KSOU

Mohith Kumar

“Aiming to provide access to higher education to an unreached section of society, KSOU is a pioneer for open and distance education in the country. Yet, the recent de-recognition by UGC questions its credibility.”

As per its mission, Karnataka State Open University (KSOU) is actively working towards providing quality higher education to all the unreached and underprivileged sections of society. Aspirants who wish to pursue higher education and are unable to receive education through 'in-class'/conventional mode' can study through the distance education mode offered by KSOU. 

The KSOU study materials audio/video assistance will be provided for students who enroll in courses at KSOU. Having such a humongous reputation, KSOU faced de-recognition by the University Grants Commission (UGC) in 2015 for violating a few norms. Though the de-recognition was lifted in 2018, aspirants are still in a dilemma to study through KSOU.

Table of Contents

• Wide Range of Affordable Courses
• Expert Faculties
• Commendable Infrastructure
• Decent Hostel Facilities
• Unsatisfactory Placements
• Life at KSOU
• Is KSOU Worth it?

Wide Range of Affordable Courses

KSOU offers 35 various UG, PG, diploma, certificate, and PhD courses. The courses offered by the University are affordable, and the fee structure is student-friendly. Since there is no physical classroom setup, students will be provided with study materials, audio/video notes, case studies, and illustrative course content. PGDBA, MSc in Physics, MA in English, Kannada, and Sanskrit are some of the famous courses offered by KSOU.

Curriculum at the University are designed considering the current industrial requirements. Course materials provided by KSOU are easily understandable, and students can contact the concerned faculty whenever a doubt arises. KSOU offers scholarship facilities through Mukta Sanjeevini Yojna and also provides fee concessions to female candidates. 

Expert Faculties

KSOU faculties are well-qualified and experienced. The Open University has 29 departments that contain expert faculties. Though there are limited physical interactions between students and faculties in the distance education setup, faculty members are kind and approachable. They provide solid study materials, such as audio/video study materials, that students can easily understand. 

Also, students can install the KSOU Radio app on their phones and listen to skilled professors and external resource persons to enhance their knowledge. Students can also approach faculties physically and get their doubts resolved whenever time permits. Past students are of the opinion that few faculties are unpunctual and delay in providing study materials. Due to this, the academic timeline will be affected.

Commendable Infrastructure

KSOU Mysore campus is known for its beautiful architecture. The University building has all the basic facilities like an ATM, guest house, canteen, library, post office, sports facilities, gym, and health care center. Distance education-receiving students can visit the campus whenever needed and can utilize all the facilities provided by the University. 

The KSOU library has over 1,00,000 volumes of periodicals, reference books, a Kannada books collection, cartographic collections like Maps, Atlas, and Globe, and institutional repositories. Also, the KSOU radio app facility helps students to listen to lectures on a daily basis. 

Decent Hostel Facilities

KSOU hostel accommodates students only for a certain period. Fifty-six students can remain in the girls' hostel by paying a nominal rest of INR 50 and a caution deposit of INR 250. Boys can stay in 7 hostels by paying a nominal rent of INR 50 and no caution deposit. 

KSOU hostel rooms are well furnished and have all the basic amenities. Mess food facilities will be provided for students who visit the campus. Hostel mess food is hygienic and of good quality.

Unsatisfactory Placements

KSOU recently started its placement cell to provide employment opportunities to both graduate and postgraduate students. However, the KSOU placements remain unsatisfactory. More often, companies do not value distance education graduates, and even if they do, the placement opportunities are limited.

KSOU held a 15-day digital job fair during April 2023 across the state of Karnataka. It was a virtual placement drive where more than ten companies participated, offering nearly 2,000 job vacancies. INR 3 LPA and INR 6 LPA were the packages offered. Students of KSOU often search for jobs beyond KSOU placements. The KSOU certificates are of high value and weight. Hence, it will help students to get job opportunities outside KSOU placements.

Life at KSOU

Since the students need not attend physical classes in the distance education setup, KSOU students visit campus only during admissions and exams. Students across the country apply for distance education at KSOU. There are no communication barriers between students and faculty as faculty members are fluent in Kannada, English, and a little bit of Hindi.

Students are advised to use all the amenities provided by the KSOU authorities during their visit to campus. There is no attendance policy as the learning is virtual. However, candidates must submit the assignments within the given time.

Is KSOU Worth it?

KSOU is undoubtedly one of the best open universities in the country. It offers affordable courses through distance learning. Candidates who cannot attend physical classes and have stopped pursuing their dream of securing a college degree under their names can definitely opt for KSOU.

Though the recent placement scenarios are unsatisfactory, the KSOU certificates have more excellent value. KSOU students will be given particular preferences during job interviews. 

The pros and cons of KSOU are listed in the table below:

*Source: ksoumysuru.ac.in