Haveri: Karnataka Janapada University at Gotagodi in Shiggaon taluk of Haveri district has come under govt scrutiny after it was found to have offered eight postgraduate programmes since the 2018-19 academic year without mandatory approval from the state govt and the governor, who is chancellor of the university.Taking serious note of the lapse, the higher education department on Sept 8 issued a notice directing the university to stop admissions to all eight courses immediately. The department said the university had violated sub-clause 43(2) of the Karnataka Janapada University Act by starting the programmes without framing the required regulations and securing approval from the competent authorities.According to the govt, the university should have prepared regulations for the courses and obtained the Chancellor’s approval before launching them. Instead, the programmes were started in 2018-19, and the university later sought post facto approval.The department has asked the university to submit a written explanation within a week on why disciplinary action should not be initiated under the rules. It also warned that any delay or failure in complying with govt directions would invite action against the officers and staff concerned.The communication, issued by Veerabhadra, under secretary to the govt in the higher education department, was addressed to the university registrar.The govt has also sought a subject-wise report on the number of students admitted to each of the eight courses since their launch. The move is expected to clarify the scale of the issue and how many students are affected.In another instruction, the department directed that teaching and non-teaching staff appointed or assigned to these unapproved courses be relieved from service or dismissed immediately.The issue came to light after the university submitted proposals in June 2024 and March 2025 seeking approval for draft regulations related to the courses. During scrutiny, the department found that the programmes had been running for years without approval.“These eight courses should have received approval. But the then registrar had started them without obtaining the governor’s approval. Now that the matter has come to the govt’s notice, a notice has been issued directing that all eight courses be suspended. I will act according to the govt’s instructions,” said GT Guruprasad, vice-chancellor in charge.QuoteFinally, the govt accepted our demand and cancelled the courses which were introduced illegally at the university. But, the govt must also initiate legal action against the authorities in the university.-Shivasomappa Nittur, presidentKarnataka State Folk Post-Graduation and Researcher’s UnionGFXCourse cancelled1) Kannada and Folklore2) English3) Economics4) Sociology5) Master of Social Work6) Master of Performing Arts7) Master of Visual Arts8) MA in Women’s Studies
