Distance education is the future

Students can work & learn, More than 13 lakh enrolled in IGNOU
Nehul Jagdish Kumar

In today's Global world, the education field has seen a sea change. Distance education is the need of the hour for the people who wants to study further and at the same time work. Multi media trend is growing faster.

Recently, Indian Distance Education Association (IDEA) had organised an international conference to bring teachers and researchers together to discuss the scenario of distance education in India. More than six countries including, Canada, France, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Thailand participated in this event. The conference also formulated to develop plans and strategies to improve open and distance learning in India.

There are 106 distance education attached to conventional universities, 16 open universities, and this field has increased at the rate of 22 per cent.

Speaking to Nehul Jagdish Kumar, Murli Manoharlal, Secretary General, IDEA, said: "ODL should make learning simple and interesting, so those who miss the opportunity can utilise it"

Manoharlal said, we are lagging behind in the development of open universities as per as international standards.

UNESCO, an international arm for education and learning of United Nations (UN)has developed a programme that helps institutions to have their own radio stations and cable TV medium, he added

UNESCO has approved the policy document from ODL in India. Idea helps to submit paper of pen distance learning (ODL) to submit development proposal to UNESCO, he elaborated.

There is no much difference between developed countries and India in case of distance learning, he stressed.

Dr Harichand, convener of IDEA, told Employment & NRI Times , it is the first time they are organising this international conference, more than 80 research papers were presented in this event. Traditional university such as Mumbai is planning to catch this trend of distance learning. IDEA is also talking with the Yaswant Roa Chauhan Open University (YCOU) for tie-up.

Cautioning the students on the fake university, Manoharlal said students must be vigilant and they must do courses for the University Grant Commission (UGC) recognised distance university. He said students to refer www.ugc.ac.in for fake universities in India.

The rate of distance education is increasing at the rate of more than 20 per cent. Distance education is expanding very rapidly. India's premier distance education institute is Indira Gandhi Open University (IGNOU), from 4000 students in 1987, the enrollment rose to 1, 60,000 in 1998 and is currently about 13, 11,145.

The university has designed, developed and delivered quality programmes in Humanities, Science and social science as well as in professional areas like computers application, engineering, management, nursing, mass communication, tourism. The university is links to all states in the country having their regional and study center. It also has connection outside India.

The distance learning concept is good and beneficial to students who can study full time, this will give students to shape their career while they are working, Rangsan Pinchangthong, participant from Thailand told Employment & NRI Times.