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 Larger 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 standards in institutions for higher education for analysis, and scientific and technical institutions. Parliament has enacted laws for discharging this duty by way of: the University Grants Commission (UGC) for basic Larger Education, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) for Technical Education and other Statutory bodies for other disciplines. As regards higher education, via the distance mode, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) Act, 1985 was enacted with the following two prime objectives, among other individuals: (a) To present opportunities for greater education to a huge segment of population, in particular disadvantaged groups living in remote and rural areas, adults, housewives and working men and women and (b) to encourage Open University and Distance Education Systems in the educational pattern of the nation and to coordinate and figure out the requirements in such systems.
two. The history of distance understanding or education through distance mode in India, goes way back when the universities started supplying education by way of distance mode in the name of Correspondence Courses by means of their Directorate/College of Correspondence Education. In those days, the courses in humanities and/or in commerce were presented by means of correspondence and taken by those, who, owing to a variety of causes, like limited number of seats in common courses, employability, difficulties of access to the institutions of greater learning and so on., could not get themselves enrolled in the standard `face-to-face’ mode `in-class’ programmes.
three. In the current past, the demand for larger education has elevated enormously throughout the country due to the fact of awareness about the significance of greater education, whereas the method of higher education could not accommodate this ever increasing demand.
4. Below the circumstances, a number of institutions like deemed universities, private universities, public (Government) universities and even other institutions, which are not empowered to award degrees, have started cashing on the situation by providing distance education programmes in a huge number of disciplines, ranging from humanities to engineering and management and so forth., and at distinctive levels (certificate to beneath-graduate and post-graduate degrees). There is usually a danger that some of these institutions might grow to be `degree mills’ providing sub- regular/poor quality education, consequently eroding the credibility of degrees and other qualifications awarded via the distance mode. This calls for a far larger degree of coordination among 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 via the distance mode, for employment beneath it vide Gazette Notification No. 44 dated 1.3.1995.
6. In Pre-college fall programs of the dangers referred to in para four above, the significance of distance education in supplying top quality education and coaching cannot be ignored. Distance Mode of education has an important role for:
(i)delivering chance of understanding to these, who do not have direct access to face to face teaching, working persons, home-wives etc.
(ii)giving opportunity to operating experts to update their information, enabling them to switchover to new disciplines and professions and enhancing their qualifications for career advancement.
(iii)exploiting the potential of Info and Communication Technologies (ICT) in the teaching and mastering process and
(iv)reaching the target of 15% of GER by the finish of 11th Plan and 20% by the end of 12th 5 year Program.
7. In order to discharge the Constitutional responsibility of determination and upkeep of the standards in Higher Education, by guaranteeing coordination among different 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 people for larger education, the following policy in respect of distance learning is laid down:
(a) In order to make sure appropriate coordination in regulation of requirements of greater education in different disciplines through several modes [i.e. face to face and distance] as also to make certain credibility of degrees/diploma and certificates awarded by Indian Universities and other Education Institutes, an apex body, namely, National Commission for Larger Education and Research shall be established in line with the suggestions of Prof. Yash Pal Committee/National Know-how Commission. A Standing Committee on Open and Distance
Education of the mentioned 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 comprehensive sensible course function, shall be permissible by means of the distance mode.
(ii) Universities / institutions shall frame ordinances / regulations / rules, as the case could be, spelling out the outline of the programmes to be offered by way of the distance mode indicating the quantity of required credits, list of courses with assigned credits, reading references in addition to self mastering material, hours of study, get in touch with classes at study centres, assignments, examination and evaluation process, grading etc.
(iii) DEC of IGNOU shall only assess the competence of university/institute in respect of conducting distance education programmes by a group of experts, whose report shall be placed ahead of the Council of DEC for consideration.
(iv) The approval shall be provided only just after consideration by Council of DEC and not by Chairperson, DEC. For the purpose, minimum quantity of mandatory meetings of DEC could be prescribed.
(v) AICTE would be directed under section 20 (1) of AICTE Act 1987 to ensure accreditation of the programmes in Laptop or computer Sciences, Information and facts Technologies and Management purposed to be offered by an institute/university by way of the distance mode, by National Board of Accreditation (NBA).
(vi) UGC and AICTE would be directed beneath section 20 (1) of their respective Acts to frame detailed regulations prescribing standards for several programmes/courses, supplied by way of the distance mode beneath their mandate,