The central government has accepted the Justice Reddy Committee recommendations regarding the Distance Education Programmes being run in the country by various universities. Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) constituted a three members Committee after the Supreme Court directed it to constitute a three members Committee to examine the issues related to distance education in the country and also to suggest a road map for strengthening and setting up of oversight and regulatory mechanism in the relevant field of higher education and allied issues.
The court has ordered to constitute the committee comprising of eminent persons who have held high positions in the field of education, investigation, administration or law at national level.
Now, the Ministry has notified following instructions to all the stakeholders based on the recommendations of the Justice Reddy Committee on Open and Distance Learning (ODL) Courses:
1. The list of approved courses offered under ODL mode, institution – wise every year is available on UGC website at www.ugc.ac.in/deb.
2. No course, other than the one that finds place in the list referred to above, would be recognized and a candidate who studies unrecognized courses cannot claim any benefit.
3. Under no circumstances, retrospective or ex-post facto recognition to any course through ODL mode shall be granted by UGC.
4. Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) are required to comply with all the provisions of the UGC (ODL) Regulations, 2017 and its amendments. If any deviation by the HEI is noticed, the same would entail not only withdrawal of permission/ recognition for such ODL courses but also for other courses offered by the institutions, on regular and conventional mode.
5. The UGC (ODL) Regulations, 2017 are applicable to all HEIs as given at Clause (3) of sub-regulation (1) of Part – I of UGC (ODL) Regulations, 2017. It is further clarified that the private universities created under the State enactments shall be under obligation to strictly follow the requirements, stipulated by the UGC, issued from time to time including those under the UGC (ODL) Regulations, 2017.
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