Sreenarayanaguru Open University
{{short description|University in Kerala, India}}
{{Confusing|date=June 2021}}
{{Infobox university
| name = Sreenarayanaguru Open University
| image_name = Sree narayana guru open university kollam (cropped).jpg
| logo =
| motto =
| established = {{start date and age|2 October 2020}}
| chancellor = Governor of Kerala
| vice_chancellor = Jagathy Raj V. P
| address = University Building, Kureepuzha
| city = Kollam
| state = Kerala
| postalcode = 691601
| country = India
| coordinates = {{coord|8.9212467|76.5680963|type:university_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| students = 50,000
| type = Open university
| campus = Urban
| affiliations = UGC
| website = {{url|https://sgou.ac.in/}}
| footnotes =
}}
Sreenarayanaguru Open University (SGOU) is a state open university located in Kollam, Kerala, established in 2020 by The Sreenarayanaguru Open University Act, 2021 (Kerala Act No 1 of 2021). The first open university in Kerala, it was approved by the University Grants Commission (UGC) in 2021.
The establishment of the university aimed to unify all the distance education courses offered by various state-run universities, such as the Kannur University, Mahatma Gandhi University, University of Calicut, and University of Kerala, into a single university. However, University of Calicut and University of Kerala continues to provide distance education for programmes that are not provided by SGOU.
History
The university was established by the promulgation of an 45th Ordinance of 2020 to that effect by Governor of Kerala on 25 September 2020{{cite web |title=KERALA GAZETTE Extraordinary |url=http://www.highereducation.kerala.gov.in/images/stories/2020/eogfiledownload.pdf |website=Higher Education Department, Government of Kerala |publisher=Government of Kerala |access-date=2 October 2020}} and was inaugurated by Pinarayi Vijayan, chief minister of Kerala, on 2 October 2020 in a function held at Kollam. The university has been named after Narayana Guru and has its headquarters at Kureepuzha in Kollam.{{cite web |title=Sree Narayanaguru Open University inaugurated |url=https://www.prd.kerala.gov.in/node/97224 |website=Information and Public Relations Department |publisher=Govt of Kerala |access-date=3 October 2020}}{{cite news |last1=Staff Reporter |title=Open varsity will make higher education accessible to all: CM |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/open-varsity-will-make-higher-education-accessible-to-all-cm/article32764588.ece |access-date=5 October 2020 |work=The Hindu |date=4 October 2020}} P M Mubarak Pasha was appointed as the first vice-chancellor and S V Sudheer as the first pro-vice-chancellor of the university.{{cite news |last1=Staff Reporter |title=Mubarak Pasha to be first VC of open varsity |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/mubarak-pasha-to-be-first-vc-of-open-varsity/article32799494.ece |access-date=9 October 2020 |work=The Hindu |date=8 October 2020}} The university was approved by the University Grants Commission (UGC) in 2021.{{cite news |title=Sree Narayana Guru Open University gets UGC recognition |url=https://english.mathrubhumi.com/education/news/news-updates/sree-narayana-guru-open-university-gets-ugc-recognition-kerala-1.5416498 |access-date=9 February 2021 |publisher=Mathrubhumi |date=6 February 2021}}
In November 2022, the Kerala government amended the Act to permit state public universities to offer open and distance learning programmes not provided by the SGOU.{{cite news |last1=Vidyadharan |first1=Sovi |title=Nine distance courses of Calicut University under cloud |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/kerala/2023/Aug/26/nine-distance-courses-of-calicut-university-under-cloud-2608861.html |access-date=31 July 2024 |work=The New Indian Express |date=26 August 2023 |language=en}} This amendment followed a 2022 interim order from the Kerala High Court, which had prohibited the University of Calicut and the University of Kerala from offering programs already available through SGOU. After the order, these universities began offering non-overlapping programmes. In 2023, the Kerala High Court reaffirmed its initial order.{{cite news |last1=Vidyadharan |first1=Sovi |title=SNGOU hopeful of getting UGC nod for 10 more programmes |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/thiruvananthapuram/2023/Jan/17/sngou-hopeful-of-getting-ugc-nod-for-10-more-programmes-2538401.html |access-date=31 July 2024 |work=The New Indian Express |date=17 January 2023 |language=en}}
=New headquarters=
The Finance department of the Pinarayi Vijayan lead LDF Government sanctioned {{INRConvert|26.02|c|year=2025|to=USD}} to acquire 8.06665 acres of land in Mundakkal, Kollam city on 3 January 2025.{{cite news |title=Funds sanctioned for SGOU headquarters |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/funds-sanctioned-for-sgou-headquarters/article69058150.ece |access-date=31 March 2025 |work=The Hindu |date=3 January 2025 |language=en}} The registration of the land completed on 29 March 2025. Steps have also been taken to provide the university with 9.5 acres of government land adjacent to this. NIT Calicut will prepare a master plan for the construction of an area of 60,000 sqft (3 buildings of 20,000 sqft) in the first phase.{{cite news |title=Sreenarayanaguru Open University acquires 8.06 acres of land for headquarters in Kollam |url=https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/india/sreenarayanaguru-open-university-acquires-8-06-acres-of-land-for-headquarters-in-kollam/ar-AA1BXWok |access-date=31 March 2025 |work=MSN |date=31 March 2025 |language=en}}{{cite news |title=Sreenarayanaguru Open University acquires 8.06 acres of land for headquarters in Kollam |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2025/Mar/31/sreenarayanaguru-open-university-acquires-806-acres-of-land-for-headquarters-in-kollam |access-date=31 March 2025 |work=TNIE |date=30 March 2025 |language=en}}
The government envisions the following facilities at the university headquarters upon completion:
- Academic Block Training Center
- Virtual Studio Production Unit
- Campus Library
- Academic School and Research Centers
- Sree Narayana Guru Renaissance Museum
- Sports and Entertainment Facilities
- Botanical garden
- Auditorium and Theater
- Residential Complexes for faculties and Staffs
- Students Hospital
- Recreation Center
- Canteen
- Visitor Gallery
- Rest House
Schools of study
The university shall have the following schools of study:
- School of Humanities and Social Sciences
- School of Sciences
- School of Languages
- School of Law, Business Studies and Development Studies
- School of Communications and Information Sciences
- School of Interdisciplinary, Multi disciplinary and Transdisciplinary Studies
- School of Vocational Education and Training
References
{{reflist}}
{{Kollam}}
{{Open Education in India}}
{{Universities in Kerala}}
{{Education in Kerala}}
{{Narayana Guru}}
Category:Universities in Kerala
Category:Open universities in India