Govt relaxes norms for PhD through open univs

NEW DELHI: Open universities, including the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), will now be able to offer distance education PhD courses after the University Grants Commission (UGC) allowed them a relaxation for offering non-technical courses.

In 2012, the UGC had directed IGNOU and 14 other state universities to stop offering PhD courses through distance education.

Human resource development (HRD) minister Prakash Javadekar on Tuesday discussed the issue with the vice-chancellor of IGNOU and representatives from 14 other open universities from different states.

The universities had taken up the matter with the HRD ministry and the University Grants Commission. All non-technical courses will now be allowed as they do not require laboratories and practical examination, officials said.

However, the UGC has said the universities should follow its regulations which are in force in regular universities. Such regulations include undertaking a course work for six months.

Sources said the UGC had earlier enforced the ban stating that research courses conducted through distant mode were of poor quality.

Many students who were pursuing such courses were affected by the UGC’s move. The HRD minister had reviewed the issue in a meeting held last week and had assured the open universities of resolving the issue.