COIMBATORE : Distance education programmes helped State universities generate a sizable amount of revenue; this played a vital role in managing the expenditure of the institution. However, with the UGC bringing in stringent norms in an intent to regulate the programmes offered under distance education mode could very well push the universities into financial crisis, predict academics.
One of the criteria set by the UGC in its Open and Distance Learning Regulation is that only those universities that have a NAAC score of 3.26 and above can offer distance education programmes. Many of the State universities do not meet this criterion; subsequently, Annamalai and Periyar universities have obtained a stay against the UGC regulation. At the recent meeting of Vice Chancellors and Registrars, the Higher Education department has advised other universities to file a case and get stay orders too.
The UGC regulation also stipulates that State universities can only operate within the territorial jurisdiction and in no case beyond the territory of the State. This rule forced many State universities to close down private centre through which they had been offering distance education programmes under franchise mode. For instance, Bharathiar University in Coimbatore had to close down more than 450 franchises, including 200 located outside Tamil Nadu.
It had been offering various degree and diploma courses under distance mode through these centres. In May, the University called upon arts and science colleges across the State to act as learning resource centres to offer distance education programmes. At the end of the deadline, it received applications only from 42 colleges, informed a former syndicate member of the University. “Loss in revenue through distance education centres following the UGC’s new regulation will have a serious impact on university’s finance,” he says.
Commenting on this, Association of University Teachers former general secretary C Pichandy says, “It should help people and industries and others who cannot afford regular education. If the university looks at it as a commercial revenue generating venture again, universities are opening up a channel for corruption. Hence, government should regulate properly, fix geographical areas and domain.”