Distance learning may be promoted
MANY UGC MEMBERS SUGGESTED HOLDING RULE REVISION IN VIEW OF THE PANDEMIC, AN OFFICIAL SAID
The University Grants Commission (UGC) is likely to relax norms to allow more institutes to offer open and distance learning courses to make up for the learning loss due to the lockdown imposed in late March to check the Covid-19 spread, officials aware of the matter said.
The issue of setting a new benchmark for these institutions to commence the courses was discussed at a meeting of UGC, the higher education regulator, on Thursday. “Last year, it had been stipulated that institutions, which have an accreditation score of 3.26 or above, will be allowed to offer ODL [open and distance learning] courses. Several institutions, especially state universities and private ones, have scored less than one. If this norm is followed, these would be unable to offer ODL courses. At the meeting, it was discussed that the criteria should be relaxed and brought to an accreditation score of 3 for universities to offer ODL, or correspondence courses, as they are popularly known,” said an official on condition of anonymity. The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) grades universities and those scoring above 3 on a scale of 4 are counted as A-grade institutions. UGC came out with norms recently to ensure only the best institutions offer open and distance learning courses.
Officials said that many UGC members at the Thursday’s meeting cited the situation in view of the Covid-19 pandemic and said it will be better to allow institutions with lesser scores to offer these courses at least for a year. It was felt the benchmark of a NAAC score of 3 should be allowed. “...once a final call is taken, UGC will officially announce it,” said the official cited above.
Among other decisions taken at the meeting related to the signing of Mous with some universities chosen as Institutes of Eminence (IOE) for greater autonomy. The official said Tamil Nadu’s Anna University and Jadavpur University (Kolkata) were likely to be granted the status as well.
The second phase of India’s massive programme to repatriate citizens stranded abroad because of the Covid-19 pandemic will bring home about 32,000 people, more than double the figure for the first phase, people familiar with developments said on Thursday.
State-run Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express will operate 149 flights to 31 countries, including the US, Australia and France, during the second phase of Vande Bharat Mission beginning on May 16. The first phase, which mostly focused on West Asian countries, has 64 flights.
“There will be more flights and more destinations in the second phase. We are looking to bring back about 32,000 people,” said one of the people cited above.
About 15,000 citizens are expected to be repatriated from 12 countries during the first phase of Vande Bharat Mission, which will end on May 15, and 56 flights have already been brought back more than 12,000 Indian nationals. An additional 904 Indians were repatriated from the Maldives by two Indian Navy warships on May 10 and 12, and some more nationals arrived in the country on deportation flights from various countries.
The people said requests from OCI card holders can be considered after the government meets the minimum expectations of its Indian nationals seeking to return home.