PUNE Since the Covid-19 pandemic started a lot of sectors were affected and one of those was the education sector. As all the educational institutes, universities and colleges closed down and started online education, it had an impact on the admissions trend. There was a major increase in the ‘distance learning’ education mode and admissions with the Savitribai Phule Pune University’s (SPPU) School of Open learning increased in last two academic years.
Compared to the pre-pandemic situation, the admissions in last two academic years have doubled that what it was before. Many students, working professionals and even students from rural parts are now preferring to take admission in distance learning courses.
As per the data shared by the SPPU School of Open learning, in the academic year 2019-20 a total of 7074 admissions happened, while in 2020-21 this number went up to 13,436 admissions and in the current academic year 2021-22 a total of 13,819 admissions have happened in various courses at the SPPU.
“There are various reasons to this increase in the number of admissions with open learning school, as from last two years online education is going on. Exams are also taken online, same is with the open learning or distance learning education mode. And compared to regular courses the fees are also less, so a large number of students including working professionals and students who could not come to SPPU have preferred to take admission for these courses,” said Prof Sanjeev Sonawane, director of SPPU’s Open Learning School.
Though the state government has allowed starting the offline lectures and eventually the offline examinations will aslo be held, the mentality of students is turned towards online learning mode now. Also the financial issue is the most important one for many students, as most of them are suffering financially at home and cannot afford to pay heavy fees of the university regular courses. This has changed the trend of admissions this year and rather going for regular courses students chose distance education mode.
{{/usCountry}}Though the state government has allowed starting the offline lectures and eventually the offline examinations will aslo be held, the mentality of students is turned towards online learning mode now. Also the financial issue is the most important one for many students, as most of them are suffering financially at home and cannot afford to pay heavy fees of the university regular courses. This has changed the trend of admissions this year and rather going for regular courses students chose distance education mode.
{{/usCountry}}“I am currently working in a private office and wanted to continue my post-graduation in commerce. So I decided to take admission in the open learning school of SPPU and according have taken the admission. The fees are less than the other full-time courses and I can learn and study on my own at home,” said Kedar Mantri a working professional.
While Mangesh Chavan a student from Aurangabad said, “We lost my father last year in pandemic and since then our financial condition is very poor. I am working in a hotel and want to study too. So I decided to take admission in distance learning mode at SPPU for Master of Arts. Now I work in the day time and in the evening I do my studies,”