NO UNIVERSITY OR INSTITUTION DEEMED TO BE A UNIVERSITY SHOULD OFFER A DEGREE OR DIPLOMA OR BACHELOR’S OR MASTERS’S LEVEL PROGRAMME IN ENGINEERING THROUGH DISTANCE LEARNING
KARNATAKA HC CITES BAR IMPOSED BY UGC NOTIFICATION
REJECTS ASPIRANT’S PLEA VIS-A-VIS JUNIOR ENGINEER POST IN KPTCL
Citing the notification issued by the University Grants Commission( UGC), the Karnataka high court has rejected a petition filed by an aspirant for the Junior Engineer’s post in state-owned Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL).
As per the notification of UGC dated March 11, 2015, no University or institution Deemed to be a University should offer a Degree or Diploma or Bachelor’s or Masters’s Level Programme in Engineering through distance learning.
However, petitioner Krishna Naik, a lineman working with Mangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited(Mescom), had obtained a degree in Electrical Engineering from Karnataka State Open University (KSOU), which is not a recognized University.
He had moved the high court challenging the endorsement, rejecting his application to appoint him as Junior Engineer against the backlog post in KPTCL.
However, the KPTCL argued that the diploma obtained by the petitioner from KSOU through distance learning is basically a technical subject and the same is not in consonance with UGC notification.
“In the light of the said legal position and admittedly, the fact that Diploma through distance education is obtained from KSOU, which is not a recognized university as regards online courses in technical subjects, in light of the UGC notification, the challenge raised to the endorsement dated August 22, 2014, cannot be entertained” Justice S Sunil Dutt Yadav has observed in his order while dismissing the petition filed by Krishna Naik.