In pursuance to the announcement of 100 days agenda of HRD of ministry by Hon’ble Human Sources development Minister, a New Policy on Distance Mastering In Greater 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 study, and scientific and technical institutions. Parliament has enacted laws for discharging this responsibility by means 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, through the distance mode, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) Act, 1985 was enacted with the following two prime objectives, among others: (a) To deliver possibilities for higher education to a massive segment of population, specifically disadvantaged groups living in remote and rural regions, 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 began providing education by means of distance mode in the name of Correspondence Courses by means of their Directorate/College of Correspondence Education. In these days, the courses in humanities and/or in commerce were offered by means of correspondence and taken by those, who, owing to many causes, which includes restricted number of seats in standard courses, employability, complications of access to the institutions of higher learning and so forth., could not get themselves enrolled in the standard `face-to-face’ mode `in-class’ programmes.
three. In the recent past, the demand for higher education has elevated enormously throughout the country due to the fact of awareness about the significance of higher education, whereas the program of higher education could not accommodate this ever escalating demand.
4. Beneath the circumstances, a quantity of institutions including deemed universities, private universities, public (Government) universities and even other institutions, which are not empowered to award degrees, have started cashing on the circumstance by offering distance education programmes in a huge number of disciplines, ranging from humanities to engineering and management and so on., and at various levels (certificate to beneath-graduate and post-graduate degrees). There is constantly a danger that some of these institutions may possibly grow to be `degree mills’ supplying sub- typical/poor good quality education, consequently eroding the credibility of degrees and other qualifications awarded by way of the distance mode. This calls for a far greater degree of coordination among the concerned statutory authorities, mostly, 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 under it vide Gazette Notification No. 44 dated 1.three.1995.
six. In spite of the dangers referred to in para four above, the significance of distance education in providing quality education and coaching can’t be ignored. Distance Mode of education has an crucial part for:
(i)supplying chance of learning to those, who do not have direct access to face to face teaching, operating persons, house-wives and so on.
(ii)giving opportunity to working specialists to update their knowledge, enabling them to switchover to new disciplines and professions and enhancing their qualifications for profession advancement.
(iii)exploiting the possible of Data and Communication Technologies (ICT) in the teaching and learning approach and
(iv)attaining the target of 15% of GER by the end of 11th Plan and 20% by the end of 12th five year Program.
7. In order to discharge the Constitutional duty of determination and upkeep of the requirements in Higher Education, by ensuring coordination among a variety of statutory regulatory authorities as also to make certain the promotion of open and distance education program in the country to meet the aspirations of all cross-sections of people today for higher education, the following policy in respect of distance mastering is laid down:
(a) In order to assure suitable coordination in regulation of requirements of greater education in various disciplines via different modes [i.e. face to face and distance] as also to make sure credibility of degrees/diploma and certificates awarded by Indian Universities and other Education Institutes, an apex physique, namely, National Commission for Greater Education and Investigation shall be established in line with the recommendations of Prof. Yash Pal Committee/National Expertise Commission. My School on Open and Distance
Education of the stated Commission, shall undertake the job of coordination, determination and upkeep of standards of education by means of the distance mode. Pending establishment of this physique:
(i) Only those programmes, which do not involve in depth sensible course operate, shall be permissible by way of the distance mode.
(ii) Universities / institutions shall frame ordinances / regulations / guidelines, as the case might be, spelling out the outline of the programmes to be presented via the distance mode indicating the number of necessary credits, list of courses with assigned credits, reading references in addition to self finding out material, hours of study, speak to classes at study centres, assignments, examination and evaluation course of action, grading and so forth.
(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 ahead of the Council of DEC for consideration.
(iv) The approval shall be given only following consideration by Council of DEC and not by Chairperson, DEC. For the goal, minimum number of mandatory meetings of DEC may possibly be prescribed.
(v) AICTE would be directed below section 20 (1) of AICTE Act 1987 to make certain accreditation of the programmes in Laptop or computer Sciences, Details Technology and Management purposed to be provided by an institute/university via 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 many programmes/courses, supplied via the distance mode under their mandate,