DU SOL Review and Verdict by CollegeDekho

Campus at a Glimpse

The erstwhile School of Correspondence Courses and Continuing Education started functioning in 1962 under the University of Delhi. Presently, it is known as School of Open Learning (SOL). The campus is spread over 2.14 acres of land. DU SOL boasts itself as one of the pioneering institutions in the realm of distance education in India.

With the motive of providing flexible and affordable education to a large number of students who are unable to participate in conventional classroom settings, DU SOL extends education to students at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels in a wide array of fields, including arts, commerce, and management.

Nonetheless, there are certain areas where students have expressed dissatisfaction, including issues such as discourteous behaviour exhibited by staff and faculty, as well as instances of mismanagement and inadequate communication.

DU SOL Academia and Batch Size 

DU SOL offers online and offline education in 10 undergraduate and 8 postgraduate programmes. DU SOL has adopted UGCF - 2022 (Under NEP). The curriculum and syllabus mirror those of the University of Delhi. Additionally, DU SOL has implemented the Choice-Based Credit System (CBCS), enabling students to select courses according to their preferences.

Academic Composition

DU SOL academia is a mix of online and offline classes in study centers, along with assignments.

Batch Size

DU SOL, being an open learning institution, does not impose any caps on DU SOL admissions. Students who choose online education are required to participate in online classes, while offline students have the option to visit their designated study centres, though attendance is not mandatory.

Fees

The fees charged from students for DU SOL courses are as follows:

UG Courses

PG Courses

Our Take:

• Students have expressed that the fees are affordable, especially for economically backward students.
• Another student commented that the books provided by DU SOL have misleading information. To highlight the same, he shared a picture from the book on Conflict and Peace Studies published by the Department of Political Science, University of Delhi (SOL) where the dates mentioned were wrong. 

• Both online and offline students had issues of their own. Here is the list of issues that the students faced:

DU SOL Infrastructure

Library

DU SOL has a dedicated library well-stacked with books, periodicals, journals, magazines, newspapers, e- Resources, and audio content for the visually impaired. The website further mentions that students have access to a wide range of materials beyond their prescribed course materials, including resources like E-Pustakdwar, E-News Clipping Portal, Resource Sharing Network, Sugamya Pustakalaya Online (designed for the visually impaired), Web Catalogue, Digital Library, and an extensive collection of academic and competitive study materials, all readily available to them.

The seven-storey library building is divided into multiple sections as follows:

Our Take:
Overall, the library facilities have received quite an appreciation from the students, especially the Equal Opportunity Cell for Divyanga Students. However, students have a say in the e-facilities provided, which at times do not seem to work.

Study Centres

DU SOL study centres are situated in various locations, each featuring classrooms, libraries, and computer labs for the benefit of students.

DU SOL Placements

According to the official website, DU SOL released the following information related to placements:

• In May 2022, DU SOL placement cell organised a drive for the role of Business Development Executive (AXIS Bank) along with NIIT Ltd. The statistics were as follows:

• In the same year, the university placement cell organised a job fair for the disabled. Over 800 SSLC, PUC, ITI, diploma, and degree-qualified students with orthopaedic impairments, visual impairments, and speech and hearing impairments took part in the event. 20 companies visited the campus, and 3 companies conducted online interviews for the same. Following are the companies that visited the campus:

• DU SOL website further claims that companies Dalmia Group, Amazon, ISA Global, and NIIT Ltd have offered the highest salary packages of around INR 8 LPA over the years.

Our Take:
It is evident that there are placement opportunities for DU SOL students. However, the number of students at the end line is very low as can be seen in the placement drive organised for Axis Bank. On the other hand, DU SOL's effort to organise a job fair specifically for individuals with disabilities was a noteworthy initiative.

DU SOL Faculty and Administration/Management

Currently, the total faculty count stands at 20. As an open-learning educational institution, the numbers are satisfactory. However,  students expressed that a few faculties are not at all proficient in their domain and lack the basic professional aura. 

University administration and management have a significant role to play, especially in the case of open learning institutions. However,  in the case of DU SOL, multiple discrepancies were noted by the students: 

• No proper department-wise contact numbers are available on the official website, due to which a student could not submit the application regarding his missed exam on time. 
• Rude behaviour by staff. Many students complained about the staff assigned to Window No. 20. A student expressed that racial comments were thrown at him and that he had to face physical abuse.  He further added that the staff threatened to withhold his degree as well. 
• Disorganised academic procedures have caused stress among students. One instance that justified the allegation is students waiting for days to get a book or exam sheet despite the availability of an 'appointment link' developed specifically for study materials. 
• Students are asked to visit the campus even for a small task. A student had to visit the university office over three times to get her name corrected. The responses were either rude or none at all.

Our Take:
It is indicative that DU SOL needs to reshuffle its teachers and staff. DU SOL has students all over the country and it is not possible for everyone to visit the campus for each and every task. When asked what changes students would like to see, they responded, “ Would request the management to change the staff if possible or teach them some basic manners.” After going through such a large number of grieving responses, we feel the same!

DU SOL Location

DU SOL is situated at 5 Cavalry Lines within the University of Delhi campus. The nearest metro station is Vishwavidyalaya. Students can easily avail e-rickshaw transportation to reach the SOL campus from the station.

Our Take:
Students have found the DU SOL campus location to be favourable. However, as students are not required to visit the campus regularly, the vicinity of study centres and the facilities available is what holds more importance

DU SOL Expectations vs Reality- CollegeDekho Verdict

DU SOL is one of the oldest and most respected distance education institutions in India. Students have also affirmed the same. The fees are reasonable and the admission process is smooth. Regrettably, it is the behaviour of the office staff that leads to delays in admission-related or degree-related proceedings. The library facilities provided are apt, however, online services need a reboot. Last but not the least, the information provided on study materials needs a thorough check. We cannot accept the fact that Mahatma Gandhi was kept alive till 1980 in one of the books!