UGC bans
distance edu in non-univ institutes
In a watershed decision, the
University Grants Commission (UGC) has stated that only universities can offer
distance learning programmes in India. With the earlier decision of the
Distance Education Council overturned, standalone institutes can no longer
continue to run programmes via distance mode.
Across
the country dozens of B-schools are raking in crores by offering diploma
management courses via distance education. They will all have to cease
operations as the UGC will not extend their recognition.
The decision was notified in the last
week of June in a UGC gazette notification: The minimum standards of instructions for the grant of
first degree through non-formal distance education in the fac ulties of arts,
humanities, fine arts, music, social science, commerce and science.
The
decision was taken after a committee headed by Prof N R Madhav Menon submitted
its recommendations to regulate distance education in India. Ctificates or
diplomas or post-graduate di er plomas awarded by the standalone institutions,
which also have been approved by the Commission based on the policies of the
then Distance Education Council, of the Indira Gandhi National Open University
, for running open and distance learning programmes till the academic session
as specified in recognition letters already issued at the level of the
Commission, shall remain valid in the field of open and distance learning mode
of education and once the recognition period to these standalone institutions
ceases, such institutions cannot offer open and distance learning programmes,“
it read.
These
institutes can offer distance education courses if they are converted to
university or deemed to be university , “failing which, the Commission shall
not accord approval to open and distance learning programmes of standalone
institutions.
“Standalone
institutes were free from university regulation. As they offered diploma
courses, they did not fall under the All India Council for Technical Education
too. Many institutes hence started offering distance education courses and made
a lot of money .Soon, there was management in hospital administration, forest management,
agriculture and plantation management, etc.,“ said a former director of the
Institute of Open and Distance Learning, Mumbai University . In Maharashtra,
the UGC's diktat will affect about a dozen institutes.
New
rules also freeze the jurisdiction that universities can operate within. Study
centres cannot go beyond their jurisdiction. “For instance, Pune University has
a centre in Belapur. That will now have to close down,“ said a state government
officer from the higher education department.
UGC
rules also state examination centres shall be located in government schools
like Navodaya Vidyalaya, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Sainik school, etc, including
approved affiliated colleges under the university system and no centres shall
be allotted to private organisations.
UGC gazette
notification | http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2017/176889.pdf
PR Source |
Times of India | 5 July 2017
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