Vice‑Chancellor A.P. Jnanaprakash told a press conference in Dharwad that the university’s offerings span undergraduate, postgraduate and professional programmes, and that candidates who have completed pre‑university education (PUC) are eligible to apply.
For the first time, the University Grants Commission has approved 500 seats for KSOU’s Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) programme, expanding the university’s teacher‑training capacity.
KSOU also launched ten new online courses, widening access for students who prefer remote study, and confirmed that its certificates are recognised for recruitment to the Union Public Service Commission and Karnataka Public Service Commission, subject to the respective eligibility criteria.
The university highlighted a substantial increase in fee‑waiver beneficiaries, raising the number of minority students receiving full waivers from 5,300 last year to 12,300 this year. Additional concessions are available to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students, BPL card‑holders, ex‑servicemen, auto‑rickshaw and cab drivers, and employees of state transport corporations.
A 25 percent fee concession is being offered to prisoners enrolling in KSOU courses, and arrangements will be made for inmates from jails in Belagavi, Gadag and Haveri to sit for examinations at Dharwad Central Prison.
Looking ahead, KSOU plans to set up skill‑development centres in Kalaburagi and Yadgir, seeking ₹125 crore from the Union government under the PM‑YKKS scheme to fund the projects. The university also intends to introduce six film‑industry‑related courses and a series of short‑term skill‑development programmes.
The admission window remains open until 15 October, and the university urged prospective students to apply early to secure seats in the newly added programmes.