In pursuance to the announcement of 100 days agenda of HRD of ministry by Hon’ble Human Resources development Minister, a New Policy on Distance Understanding 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 larger education for research, and scientific and technical institutions. Parliament has enacted laws for discharging this duty by way of: the University Grants Commission (UGC) for general Greater Education, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) for Technical Education and other Statutory bodies for other disciplines. As regards larger education, through the distance mode, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) Act, 1985 was enacted with the following two prime objectives, among other folks: (a) To deliver possibilities for higher education to a huge segment of population, particularly disadvantaged groups living in remote and rural areas, adults, housewives and functioning folks and (b) to encourage Open University and Distance Education Systems in the educational pattern of the country and to coordinate and establish the standards in such systems.
two. The history of distance finding out or education by means of distance mode in India, goes way back when the universities began providing education by way of distance mode in the name of Correspondence Courses through their Directorate/College of Correspondence Education. In those days, the courses in humanities and/or in commerce were offered by means of correspondence and taken by these, who, owing to different motives, such as restricted quantity of seats in typical courses, employability, troubles of access to the institutions of greater mastering and so forth., could not get themselves enrolled in the standard `face-to-face’ mode `in-class’ programmes.
3. In the current past, the demand for higher education has increased enormously throughout the country simply because of awareness about the significance of higher education, whereas the technique of larger education could not accommodate this ever increasing demand.
4. Under the situations, 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 started cashing on the predicament by supplying distance education programmes in a significant number of disciplines, ranging from humanities to engineering and management and so on., and at various levels (certificate to below-graduate and post-graduate degrees). There is normally a danger that some of these institutions might develop into `degree mills’ supplying sub- standard/poor excellent education, consequently eroding the credibility of degrees and other qualifications awarded through the distance mode. This calls for a far greater degree of coordination amongst the concerned statutory authorities, mainly, UGC, AICTE and IGNOU and its authority – the Distance Education Council (DEC).
five. Government of India had clarified its position in respect of recognition of degrees, earned by way of the distance mode, for employment below it vide Gazette Notification No. 44 dated 1.three.1995.
six. In spite of the dangers referred to in para 4 above, the significance of distance education in giving high-quality education and instruction cannot be ignored. Distance Mode of education has an vital function for:
(i)delivering chance of understanding to those, who do not have direct access to face to face teaching, working persons, home-wives and so forth.
(ii)delivering chance 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 prospective of Info and Communication Technology (ICT) in the teaching and understanding method and
(iv)achieving the target of 15% of GER by the end of 11th Program and 20% by the end of 12th five year Plan.
7. In order to discharge the Constitutional duty of determination and upkeep of the requirements in Larger Education, by making sure coordination among a variety of statutory regulatory authorities as also to assure the promotion of open and distance education program in the nation to meet the aspirations of all cross-sections of individuals for larger education, the following policy in respect of distance mastering is laid down:
(a) In order to ensure proper coordination in regulation of requirements of greater education in unique disciplines by means of a variety of modes [i.e. face to face and distance] as also to ensure credibility of degrees/diploma and certificates awarded by Indian Universities and other Education Institutes, an apex body, namely, National Commission for Higher Education and Investigation shall be established in line with the suggestions of Prof. Yash Pal Committee/National Knowledge Commission. 2022 jamb runz on Open and Distance
Education of the said Commission, shall undertake the job of coordination, determination and maintenance of requirements of education by way of the distance mode. Pending establishment of this body:
(i) Only those programmes, which do not involve in depth sensible course perform, shall be permissible through the distance mode.
(ii) Universities / institutions shall frame ordinances / regulations / guidelines, as the case may be, spelling out the outline of the programmes to be supplied by way of the distance mode indicating the quantity of essential credits, list of courses with assigned credits, reading references in addition to self understanding material, hours of study, make contact with classes at study centres, assignments, examination and evaluation method, grading and so on.
(iii) DEC of IGNOU shall only assess the competence of university/institute in respect of conducting distance education programmes by a group of authorities, whose report shall be placed ahead of the Council of DEC for consideration.
(iv) The approval shall be offered only soon after consideration by Council of DEC and not by Chairperson, DEC. For the objective, minimum number of mandatory meetings of DEC might 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 Technology and Management purposed to be presented by an institute/university by way of the distance mode, by National Board of Accreditation (NBA).
(vi) UGC and AICTE would be directed below section 20 (1) of their respective Acts to frame detailed regulations prescribing requirements for many programmes/courses, offered via the distance mode under their mandate,