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 Learning 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 larger education for study, and scientific and technical institutions. Parliament has enacted laws for discharging this responsibility via: the University Grants Commission (UGC) for common 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 other people: (a) To offer possibilities for greater education to a large segment of population, specifically disadvantaged groups living in remote and rural regions, adults, housewives and functioning people today and (b) to encourage Open University and Distance Education Systems in the educational pattern of the country and to coordinate and ascertain the requirements in such systems.

two. The history of distance finding out or education by way of distance mode in India, goes way back when the universities began providing education by means of distance mode in the name of Correspondence Courses via their Directorate/School of Correspondence Education. In those days, the courses in humanities and/or in commerce had been presented by way of correspondence and taken by those, who, owing to numerous motives, which includes restricted quantity of seats in normal courses, employability, troubles of access to the institutions of larger learning etc., could not get themselves enrolled in the traditional `face-to-face’ mode `in-class’ programmes.

three. In the recent previous, the demand for higher education has improved enormously throughout the country due to the fact of awareness about the significance of larger education, whereas the technique of higher education could not accommodate this ever rising demand.

4. Under the situations, a quantity 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 circumstance by supplying distance education programmes in a substantial number of disciplines, ranging from humanities to engineering and management and so forth., and at unique levels (certificate to under-graduate and post-graduate degrees). There is generally a danger that some of these institutions may develop into `degree mills’ supplying sub- common/poor good quality education, consequently eroding the credibility of degrees and other qualifications awarded through the distance mode. 2022 jamb expo calls for a far greater degree of coordination amongst the concerned statutory authorities, primarily, 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 through the distance mode, for employment below it vide Gazette Notification No. 44 dated 1.3.1995.

six. Despite the risks referred to in para four above, the significance of distance education in giving top quality education and instruction can’t be ignored. Distance Mode of education has an essential role for:

(i)delivering chance of mastering to those, who do not have direct access to face to face teaching, operating persons, home-wives etc.
(ii)offering opportunity to working specialists to update their understanding, 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 learning process and
(iv)reaching the target of 15% of GER by the finish of 11th Plan and 20% by the finish of 12th 5 year Strategy.

7. In order to discharge the Constitutional responsibility of determination and maintenance of the requirements in Greater Education, by making certain coordination among various statutory regulatory authorities as also to assure the promotion of open and distance education method in the country to meet the aspirations of all cross-sections of persons for larger education, the following policy in respect of distance finding out is laid down:

(a) In order to ensure appropriate coordination in regulation of standards of larger education in diverse disciplines via different 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 Information Commission. A Standing Committee on Open and Distance

Education of the said Commission, shall undertake the job of coordination, determination and upkeep of requirements of education by means of the distance mode. Pending establishment of this body:

(i) Only those programmes, which do not involve substantial practical course perform, shall be permissible by way of the distance mode.

(ii) Universities / institutions shall frame ordinances / regulations / rules, as the case may perhaps be, spelling out the outline of the programmes to be provided via the distance mode indicating the number of necessary credits, list of courses with assigned credits, reading references in addition to self understanding 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 specialists, whose report shall be placed ahead of the Council of DEC for consideration.

(iv) The approval shall be offered only immediately after consideration by Council of DEC and not by Chairperson, DEC. For the purpose, minimum number of mandatory meetings of DEC may well be prescribed.

(v) AICTE would be directed below section 20 (1) of AICTE Act 1987 to make sure accreditation of the programmes in Pc Sciences, Information and facts Technology and Management purposed to be offered by an institute/university via 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 different programmes/courses, presented via the distance mode beneath their mandate,