Varsities offering distance education to accept enrolments biannually

Universities offering distance education courses will now open the window for fresh enrolments twice in an academic year — from January till February and from July till August — as higher education sector regulator UGC has laid down the norms in this regard.

The UGC has recognised 1,309 programmes offered by 81 universities for the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) mode. (HT File)

Over 1.5 million students had enrolled for fresh undergraduate and post graduate courses through the distance learning mode in the University Grants Commission (UGC) recognised institutions in 2018, according to government officials.

“The open and distance learning courses are widely popular yet the norms related to them need to be streamlined. The UGC had recently put in place guidelines with regard to these courses which attract lakhs of aspirants. As a step further the commission has specified two windows during the academic year to streamline admission to such courses,” an official said.

The UGC has recognised 1,309 programmes offered by 81 universities for the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) mode.

In its latest circular issued on Monday, the commission has also asked educational institutions to upload the details of admitted the list of students within ten days of the last date of admissions.

The Commission had in a meeting on December 12 decided on the system under which admissions to ODL courses can be taken twice during an academic year. In its circular, the commission has also said that the proposals of Mumbai University, MATS University, Chhattisgarh University, and Sikkim Manipal University through expert committee visits. The proposal of Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia is being processed, the higher education sector regulator said.