Tuesday, January 1, 2019

MU’S DISTANCE LEARNING COURSES WAIT FOR UGC STAMP



The University of Mumbai (MU) will have to wait longer to be recognised as an institute of distance and open learning (IDOL) from the University Grants Commission (UGC).

The institute’s name does not figure in the revised list of recognised distance learning institutes issued by UGC on Monday. The higher education regulator, in a public notice, said the university’s proposal for recognition of its IDOL courses is still being assessed by expert committees.

“According to the notice, IDOL’s approval process is still on,” said an MU official. An estimated 67,000 students are enrolled with the distance learning institute.

The list features 81 institutes offering distance courses across the country, including five from the state: Mahatma Gandhi Hindi Vishwavidyalaya (Nagpur), Shivaji University (Kolhapur), Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University, Srimati Nathibai Damodar Thackersey Women’s University, Padmashree Dr DY Patil Vidyapeeth (all in Mumbai). University of Mumbai, MATS University, Chhattisgarh and Sikkim Manipal University, Sikkim will be visited by UGC’s expert committees before they get IDOL recognition.

In June 2017, UGC issued a notification to regulate distance learning courses. MU did not figure in UGC’s first list of recognised institutes, issued in August, as its National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) grading expired. The varsity sent a fresh proposal after the regulator, in October, amended the regulations for the third time. The new rules required the applicants to attain a NAAC score of 3.26 on a four-point scale before the end of the academic year 2019-20.

“The IDOL administration is least bothered about the deficiencies in the institute,” said Santosh Gangurde, vice president, Maharashtra Navnirman Vidyarthi Sena.

Source | Hindustan Times | 2nd January 2019

No comments:

Post a Comment