Srinagar, Dec. 21 -- For decades, the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has stood as a symbol of educational inclusion. In the Kashmir Valley- where political uncertainty, geographical barriers, and limited institutional infrastructure continue to shape academic life- IGNOU is not merely a university. It is an academic lifeline. For students, it represents access; for educators, it offers professional dignity and participation in public knowledge-making. In such a context, transparency and fairness in academic practices are not optional administrative ideals; they are essential for sustaining trust, equity, and institutional credibility. Yet, beneath this noble mandate lies an uncomfortable reality- one that rarely enters off...