Distance Learning ! Explore the Opportunities

The open and distance learning (ODL) system breaks barriers. No matter who you are, where you are based, what your previous credentials, and how you scored, a strong will and a bare minimum eligibility criterion can make you realise your dream of a higher education through this mode. You can be a dentist with a love for history, a software engineer enamoured by pottery, a housewife besotted with psychology, a media professional fascinated by heritage conservation, a young graduate craving for an MBA, a school drop-out or someone with no formal qualification. The open-learning system is indeed open - a short preparatory course can lift you onto the tertiary-level education universe.

Today, more than a third (30-40%) of the total 1.32 crore students pursuing higher education in India are studying through ODL - under the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), 14 state open universities and more than 200 dual-mode (which have both regular and distance-mode streams) universities and institutions.

There is a "huge demand" for open and distance courses in India, says Swaraj Basu, ex-director, Distance Education Council (DEC), which gives recognition to ODL institutions. The favourites are conventional subjects such as history, political science, English, BA and BCom, followed by education, management and computer science.

"The numbers (in enrolment) are increasing like anything," says Basu. As programme coordinator for MA history at IGNOU, he saw the large number and diversity among the takers. "Even doctors and engineers can join and do MA in history. You should be a graduate in any discipline. We have about 7,000 students per year for MA history. It's the same in political science, sociology, public administration. There's more demand in MA in English - about 10,000."

Most non-regular students in the country go in for printed, self-learning material (the "foundation" of ODL in India) instead of opting for online courses, which still have much limited reach despite the government's thrust on ICT. "Technology is helpful mainly in support services like getting assignments, information, online submission of forms, getting the admit card, and the result," says Basu.

Another yet unaddressed area is quality and support services. While there are noteworthy examples of open and distance education institutions, the physical distance is irksome for many aspirants and students.

Basu says, "I think most try to maintain quality. There might be some aberrations. Quality is a big concern. A mechanism for quality regulation is yet to be ready.The process of evaluation of programme and accreditation (to be executed by DEC) is at the planning stages."

Make a choice: India's open universities

National Open University

• Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi

State Open Universities

• Dr BR Ambedkar Open University, Hyderabad
• Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
• Karnataka State Open University, Mysore, Karnataka
• Krishanakant Handique State Open University, Guwahati, Assam
• MP Bhoj (Open) University, Bhopal
• Nalanda Open University, Patna, Bihar
• Netaji Subhas Open University, Kolkata, WB
• Pt Sunderlal Sharma (Open) University, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh
• Tamil Nadu Open University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
• UP Rajarshi Tandon Open University, Allahabad, UP
• Uttarakhand Open University, Haldwani, Uttarakhand
• Vardhaman Mahaveer Open University, Kota, Rajasthan
• Yashwantrao Chavan Maharshtra Open University, Nasik, Maharashtra

Dual Mode Universities

ANDHRA PRADESH

• Andhra University, Vishakhapatnam
• University of English and Foreign Languages, Hyderabad
• Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad
• Kakatiya University, Warangal
• Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad
• Acharya Nagarjuna University, Guntur
• National Academy of Legal Studies and Research University (NALSAR), Hyderabad
• Osmania University, Hyderabad
• Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University, Hyderabad
• Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth, Tirupati
• Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Anantapur
• Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati
• Sri Padmavathi Mahila Visvavidyalayam, Tirupati
• University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad
• Dravidian University, Kuppam
• GITAM University, Visakhapatnam
• Rayalseema University, Kurnool

ARUNACHAL PRADESH

• Rajiv Gandhi University, Itanagar

ASSAM

• Dibrugarh University
• Gauhati University, Guwahati

BIHAR

• BRA Bihar University, Muzaffarpur
• Lalit Narayan Mithila University, Darbhanga
• Magadh University, Bodh Gaya Patna University

CHHATTISGARH

• Pt Ravi Shankar Shukla University, Raipur
• MATS University, Raipur
• Dr CV Raman University, Bilaspur

DELHI

• Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi
• Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi
• Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan (deemed university), Delhi
• Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi
• University of Delhi

GUJARAT

• Gujarat Vidyapith, Ahmedabad
• Sumandeep University, Baroda
• Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, Ahmedabad

HARYANA

• Chaudhary Devilal University, Sirsa
• Guru Jambheshwar University, Hisar
• Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra
• Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak
• Maharshi Markandeshwar University, Amblala
• Manav Rachna International (deemed university) Faridabad

HIMACHAL PRADESH

• Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla

JAMMU & KASHMIR

• University of Jammu
• University of Kashmir, Srinagar

KARNATAKA

• Bangalore University
• Gulbarga University, Gulbarga
• Kannada University, Hampi
• Karnataka University, Dharwad
• Kuvempu University, Shimoga
• Mangalore University
• Manipal University, Manipal
• National Law School of India University, Bangalore
• Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhan Sansthan, Bangalore
• Visvesvaraya Technological University, Belgaum
• Bharatiya Vidya Foundation, Bangalore

KERALA

• Kannur University, Kannur
• Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam
• University of Calicut, Kozhikode
• University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram

MADHYA PRADESH

• Awadhesh Pratap Singh University, Rewa
• Barkatullah Vishwavidyalaya, Bhopal
• Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, Indore
• Dr Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya, Sagar
• Jiwaji University, Gwalior
• MG Chitrakoot Gramodaya Vishwavidyalaya, Chitrakoot
• Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Vedic Vishwavidyalaya, Katni
• Rani Durgawati University, Jabalpur

MAHARASHTRA

• Bharati Vidyapeeth University, Pune
• Dr DY Patil University, Pune
• International Institute for Population Sciences, Mumbai
• Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Vishwidayala, Wardha
• Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai
• Padamshree Dr D Y Patil University, Navi Mumbai
• Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University, Amravati
• Shivaji University, Kolhapur
• SNDT - Women's University, Mumbai
• Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University, Nanded
• Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai
• Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth, Pune
• University of Mumbai, Mumbai
• Balaji Institute of Modern Mgt., Pune
• Mumbai Education Trust, Mumbai
• Rashtrabasha Prachar Samiti, Wardha
• North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon

MEGHALAYA

• North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong

MIZORAM

• ICFAI, Aizawl

NAGALAND

• The Global Open University, Dimapur

ORISSA

• Berhampur University, Berhampur
• Fakir Mohan University, Balasore
• North Orissa University, Mayurbhanj
• Sambalpur University, Sambalpur
• Utkal University, Bhubaneshwar

PUDUCHERRY

• Pondicherry University, Puducherry
  

 

Author: Rahat Bano (HT Horizons)

Date: 4^th June, 2011