03 jan 2013
PUNE: If University Grants Commission (UGC) has its way, then students enrolled in a regular degree programme will soon be able to simultaneously pursue an additional degree programme through open and distance mode from the same or a different university.
Additionally, students can pursue a certificate, diploma, advanced or postgraduate (PG) diploma programme simultaneously either in regular or open and distance mode in the same university or from other institutions.
An expert panel of the UGC has made these recommendations, apart from making out a strong case for universities to promote joint degree programmes in association with other university or institutions of higher learning.
The panel, headed by Central University of Himachal Pradesh vice-chancellor (VC), Furqan Qamar, has however, stated that a simultaneous pursuit of two degrees programmes under regular mode cannot be allowed, as it will create logistical, administrative and academic problems.
The UGC has forwarded the minutes of the panel's meeting of October 29, 2012, when these recommendations were drafted, to the VCs of all universities. R Manoj Kumar, UGC's education officer, who sent a letter regarding the same on December 28, has urged the VCs to give their views on the recommendations within a fortnight to enable the panel to take a final call.
"The UGC panel's recommendations are good. There is nothing wrong in letting students pursue two degrees simultaneously," told Nandkumar Nikam, senior member of the UoP management council, to TOI on Thursday.
"If a student has the capacity to pursue two degrees simultaneously through regular and open/distance mode, he/she should be allowed to do so," said Nikam. "The UoP is already allowing simultaneous study of one regular degree and one diploma programme. However, it has no provision for joint degree or dual degree programmes yet," he added.
Nikam, however, added a word of caution and said, "The proposed move may lead to problems, when the credit-based evaluation system takes full effect at the postgraduate and undergraduate level in conventional varsities like the UoP. Introducing credit system in a distance learning institution is difficult, as the concept is based on continuous comprehensive evaluation of students."
"The UoP will have to change its ordinances to facilitate implementation of the UGC panel's recommendations. Already, some of the universities in the state like the Shivaji University, Kolhapur, have started offering programmes through distance learning and the UoP too has similar plans for the future," said Nikam.
Another senior member of the UoP academic council who did not wish to be named said, "The proposed move will extend an official status to the already widely followed practice, by students, of pursuing a regular degree and another degree through open or distance learning mode without informing either institutions about the degree that they are pursuing."
"Students are able to do this because open universities do not ask for leaving certificate while enrolling candidates for their academic programmes. At the most, the open and distance learning institutions seek an elementary qualification like Std X or XII qualification, while enrolling candidates. Conventional varsities like the UoP have no control over these open/distance learning institutions," he added.
"In Pune, many college campuses have centres of open and distance learning universities. The UoP itself has a centre of the Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University on its campus," said the member.
PUNE: If University Grants Commission (UGC) has its way, then students enrolled in a regular degree programme will soon be able to simultaneously pursue an additional degree programme through open and distance mode from the same or a different university.
Additionally, students can pursue a certificate, diploma, advanced or postgraduate (PG) diploma programme simultaneously either in regular or open and distance mode in the same university or from other institutions.
An expert panel of the UGC has made these recommendations, apart from making out a strong case for universities to promote joint degree programmes in association with other university or institutions of higher learning.
The panel, headed by Central University of Himachal Pradesh vice-chancellor (VC), Furqan Qamar, has however, stated that a simultaneous pursuit of two degrees programmes under regular mode cannot be allowed, as it will create logistical, administrative and academic problems.
The UGC has forwarded the minutes of the panel's meeting of October 29, 2012, when these recommendations were drafted, to the VCs of all universities. R Manoj Kumar, UGC's education officer, who sent a letter regarding the same on December 28, has urged the VCs to give their views on the recommendations within a fortnight to enable the panel to take a final call.
"The UGC panel's recommendations are good. There is nothing wrong in letting students pursue two degrees simultaneously," told Nandkumar Nikam, senior member of the UoP management council, to TOI on Thursday.
"If a student has the capacity to pursue two degrees simultaneously through regular and open/distance mode, he/she should be allowed to do so," said Nikam. "The UoP is already allowing simultaneous study of one regular degree and one diploma programme. However, it has no provision for joint degree or dual degree programmes yet," he added.
Nikam, however, added a word of caution and said, "The proposed move may lead to problems, when the credit-based evaluation system takes full effect at the postgraduate and undergraduate level in conventional varsities like the UoP. Introducing credit system in a distance learning institution is difficult, as the concept is based on continuous comprehensive evaluation of students."
"The UoP will have to change its ordinances to facilitate implementation of the UGC panel's recommendations. Already, some of the universities in the state like the Shivaji University, Kolhapur, have started offering programmes through distance learning and the UoP too has similar plans for the future," said Nikam.
Another senior member of the UoP academic council who did not wish to be named said, "The proposed move will extend an official status to the already widely followed practice, by students, of pursuing a regular degree and another degree through open or distance learning mode without informing either institutions about the degree that they are pursuing."
"Students are able to do this because open universities do not ask for leaving certificate while enrolling candidates for their academic programmes. At the most, the open and distance learning institutions seek an elementary qualification like Std X or XII qualification, while enrolling candidates. Conventional varsities like the UoP have no control over these open/distance learning institutions," he added.
"In Pune, many college campuses have centres of open and distance learning universities. The UoP itself has a centre of the Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University on its campus," said the member.
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