In pursuance to the announcement of one hundred days agenda of HRD of ministry by Hon’ble Human Sources development Minister, a New Policy on Distance Mastering In Higher Education Sector was drafted.
BACKGROUND
1. In terms of Entry 66 of List 1 of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India, Parliament is competent to make laws for the coordination and determination of requirements in institutions for higher education for analysis, and scientific and technical institutions. Parliament has enacted laws for discharging this responsibility via: the University Grants Commission (UGC) for general Higher Education, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) for Technical Education and other Statutory bodies for other disciplines. As regards larger education, via the distance mode, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) Act, 1985 was enacted with the following two prime objectives, among other folks: (a) To present possibilities for higher education to a significant segment of population, specially disadvantaged groups living in remote and rural places, adults, housewives and operating persons and (b) to encourage Open University and Distance Education Systems in the educational pattern of the country and to coordinate and figure out the requirements in such systems.
2. The history of distance finding out or education via distance mode in India, goes way back when the universities started offering education by means of distance mode in the name of Correspondence Courses through their Directorate/College of Correspondence Education. In these days, the courses in humanities and/or in commerce have been supplied by way of correspondence and taken by these, who, owing to numerous factors, which includes limited number of seats in common courses, employability, difficulties of access to the institutions of higher finding out and so on., could not get themselves enrolled in the conventional `face-to-face’ mode `in-class’ programmes.
3. In the recent past, the demand for higher education has elevated enormously throughout the country since of awareness about the significance of higher education, whereas the method of larger education could not accommodate this ever growing demand.
4. Under the circumstances, a number of institutions such as deemed universities, private universities, public (Government) universities and even other institutions, which are not empowered to award degrees, have began cashing on the predicament by supplying distance education programmes in a large number of disciplines, ranging from humanities to engineering and management and so forth., and at various levels (certificate to under-graduate and post-graduate degrees). There is usually a danger that some of these institutions could grow to be `degree mills’ offering sub- standard/poor high-quality education, consequently eroding the credibility of degrees and other qualifications awarded via the distance mode. This calls for a far greater degree of coordination among the concerned statutory authorities, mainly, UGC, AICTE and IGNOU and its authority – the Distance Education Council (DEC).
5. Government of India had clarified its position in respect of recognition of degrees, earned via the distance mode, for employment beneath it vide Gazette Notification No. 44 dated 1.3.1995.
six. Regardless of the dangers referred to in para 4 above, the significance of distance education in supplying good quality education and education can’t be ignored. 2022 jamb runz of education has an crucial role for:
(i)offering opportunity of mastering to those, who do not have direct access to face to face teaching, functioning persons, house-wives and so forth.
(ii)providing opportunity to functioning professionals to update their know-how, enabling them to switchover to new disciplines and professions and enhancing their qualifications for career advancement.
(iii)exploiting the possible of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the teaching and finding out method and
(iv)attaining the target of 15% of GER by the finish of 11th Strategy and 20% by the end of 12th five year Strategy.
7. In order to discharge the Constitutional responsibility of determination and upkeep of the requirements in Greater Education, by making sure coordination amongst different statutory regulatory authorities as also to assure the promotion of open and distance education technique in the nation to meet the aspirations of all cross-sections of individuals for larger education, the following policy in respect of distance learning is laid down:
(a) In order to make sure correct coordination in regulation of standards of greater education in diverse disciplines via several modes [i.e. face to face and distance] as also to guarantee credibility of degrees/diploma and certificates awarded by Indian Universities and other Education Institutes, an apex physique, namely, National Commission for Larger Education and Analysis shall be established in line with the suggestions of Prof. Yash Pal Committee/National Understanding Commission. A Standing Committee on Open and Distance
Education of the stated Commission, shall undertake the job of coordination, determination and upkeep of requirements of education by way of the distance mode. Pending establishment of this physique:
(i) Only those programmes, which do not involve substantial practical course function, shall be permissible by means of the distance mode.
(ii) Universities / institutions shall frame ordinances / regulations / rules, as the case may perhaps be, spelling out the outline of the programmes to be presented via the distance mode indicating the quantity of necessary credits, list of courses with assigned credits, reading references in addition to self finding out material, hours of study, contact classes at study centres, assignments, examination and evaluation course of action, grading etc.
(iii) DEC of IGNOU shall only assess the competence of university/institute in respect of conducting distance education programmes by a team of professionals, whose report shall be placed prior to the Council of DEC for consideration.
(iv) The approval shall be offered only after consideration by Council of DEC and not by Chairperson, DEC. For the objective, minimum number of mandatory meetings of DEC may perhaps be prescribed.
(v) AICTE would be directed under section 20 (1) of AICTE Act 1987 to guarantee accreditation of the programmes in Personal computer Sciences, Data Technologies and Management purposed to be presented by an institute/university through the distance mode, by National Board of Accreditation (NBA).
(vi) UGC and AICTE would be directed under section 20 (1) of their respective Acts to frame detailed regulations prescribing standards for several programmes/courses, offered through the distance mode under their mandate,