UGC Adopts New Rules for Universities Offering Distance & Open Programmes
- Certain rules and regulations have been laid down that ensure minimum standards of instruction.
- Popular varsities including University of Delhi, Kurukshetra University, Jamia Millia Islamia will now have to revamp their distance education system as per new UGC rules.
Higher education regulatory body of the country, University Grants Commission recently notified that the universities which offer distance learning programmes will now be regulated under the UGC (Open and Distance Learning) Regulations 2017.
As per the Commission, certain rules and regulations have been laid down that ensure minimum standards of instruction, after which the degree will be granted to the respective student at the undergraduate as well as the postgraduate level if he/she has enrolled or opted for a course in the open and distance learning mode.
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Provisions of the rules and regulations as laid down by UGC:
- A candidate will be allowed to take 20 percent of the total courses in an online mode or MOOC (Massive Open & Online Courses) format. This provision will be valid for courses that are being offered in a specific programme each semester. UGC will award credits for these courses as per the regulations of the Credit Framework for Online Learning Courses through SWAYAM 2016.
- Candidates will have the option to opt for courses that are offered by other universities and institutions in the country, credits of which will be transferred to each student.
- The higher learning institutes, after the implementation of the new rules now, will have to apply for fresh approval from the UGC in order to function normally. The programmes they offer in open as well as distance modes will be checked for once again.
- The new regulations framed by the UGC will be applicable to all the universities that offer UG and PG courses.
- Universities are further not permitted to offer courses in streams/disciplines such as medicine, engineering, pharmacy, dental, nursing, physiotherapy, architecture etc.
- The examination process for these open/distance programmes will have to be conducted within the institute or university that have facilities such as study or support centres.
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The popular varsities including University of Delhi, Kurukshetra University, Jamia Millia Islamia will now have to revamp their distance education system so as to suit the provisions laid down by the UGC.