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Lieutenant Colonel Merina SoniBernad is a nursing officer in the Indian Army, at Military Hospital-Cardio Thoracic Centre, Kolkata. Bernad completed a postgraduate hospital administration course from Dr. DY PatilVidyapeeth (DPU) online. It fetched her the position of ‘OT Matron’, the senior most nurse in the operation theatre. Online Courses and Certifications “Studying at DPU COL [DPU Centre for Online Learning] has made a huge difference in my personal and professional life. Looking back now, I have realized, the course has helped me reach the position which I had always dreamt of,” she said.
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Bernad graduated from Calicut University in 1999. She had been pursuing a BSc in nursing from Kottayam Medical College, Mahatma Gandhi University, when she was selected for the nursing branch of the Indian Army. “I completed my diploma in nursing and midwifery at the School of Nursing, Command Hospital, Kolkata. I got commissioned in the Indian Army in 2003,” she said. Once she completed her two-year online course, she was posted in Cardiac Thoracic Centre Pune as an OT Matron.
The programmeBernad attended was not a full-fledged degree but a precursor to that. DY PatilVidyapeeth is one of a handful of institutions that started offering degree programmes online from 2020. The others include Amity University, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Indian Institute of Technology Madras and Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham. In 2020, the central government allowed the top 100 universities to start online degree programmes. According to the 2021 budget documents, the government aims to increase the number of universities allowed to offer online degrees to 239.
The pandemic compelling all institutions to adopt online teaching also led to wider acceptance of online course. Amity University launched 10 undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes and is planning to launch new ones in Hindi medium as well.
Policy change
In September, the higher education regulator, University Grants Commission (UGC), issued a new set of regulations for a model of education that integrated distance and online education. As per these new regulations, the top 100 universities in the country have been permitted to start distance learning and online programmes without “prior permission”.
The regulations allowed the universities holding the top 100 positions in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) or having a minimum of 3.26 grades from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) to start online programmes without prior permission. The limit on the number of credits that can be collected online for a degree has also been raised from 20 percent to 40 percent.
The New Education Policy (NEP) also emphasises online education as the means to achieve a 50 percent gross enrolment ratio by 2035, which would mean another seven crore students pursuing higher education, double the current number.
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The changed policy has yielded startling numbers. According to Amity University, its online programmes have “tens of thousands” applying for its online courses and its “total learner base is 3,00,000 and growing”. Manipal University Jaipur’s online programmes received over 3,000 registrations. Dr. DY PatilVidyapeeth did not share data on number of applications or students and Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham had just launched its programme when Careers360 spoke to them.
At present, engineering, medical or law degrees cannot be offered online. The government has also announced a new autonomous body — National Educational Technology Forum (NETF) – to oversee development in this field.
Not ‘brick-and-mortar’
The brick-and-mortar setup of the classroom is still the most favoured one. Students can communicate with each other and teachers; feel more responsible about examinations and deadlines; and they commit to regular attendance. However, this college lifestyle does not suit everyone.
“While online students receive deadlines, there is more flexibility around what their day looks like. They can choose when to study or complete assignments and when to listen to lectures, and more,” said SmitaJadhav, executive director, DPU-COL. “[It offers] a more comfortable learning environment, pacing options and flexibility related to the student’s location. Besides tangible career benefits, most online degrees and certificates also allow learners to continue working while they study. Learning online can help students hone the technical skills they need on the job.”
Based on information that is publicly available, admission is a matter of registration and verification of identity and other documents and meeting basic academic criteria. Some universities may offer fee concessions to students who come with relatively high marks. Beyond this, it is not clear if or how students are sifted for admission.
The online degree programme of Indian Institute of Technology Madras, however, has a qualifier test after the foundational level. While learners from all academic backgrounds and levels are eligible to join the foundation level, only those who clear the test can continue for the full degree.
Hybrid education model
The government of India, state governments and higher education regulatory bodies are all exploring a blended model of higher education which would include online and offline mode of education.
Ajit Chauhan, chairman, Amity University Online and Amity Future Academy, explained the difference between the conventional mode of learning and online mode: “Online learners have learning requirements which are not the same as that of regular campus students. Many of them are working professionals in need of flexible schedules.”
Amity University was one of the first private universities to be allowed to offer online degree courses last year. It launched 24 online programs, including six bachelor’s degree and four master’s degree courses. It is planning to launch BA and BCom courses in the Hindi medium as well.
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Exams and evaluation
At most places, exams are conducted online and involve a mix of internal and external assessments, end-term exams. Questions in end-terms exams can be subjective or objective.
Evaluation for Amity’s BA degree programme, for example, involves examinations in online proctored mode. “The exam pattern comprises…internal and external assessments. The weightage is as follows: internal (assignments) 30% and external (end-term examination) 70%,” says its website. End-term exam papers are split into three sections – subjective, case studies and multiple-choice questions.
DY PatilVidyapeeth provides more details on the evaluation policy for its online MBA. It involves formative (continuous) and summative (end-term) assessments; self-assessment and online proctored exams; multiple-choice and subjective-type questions.
New courses
While some focus on offering conventional bachelor’s and master’s courses online, others have opted to offer courses from the intersections of multiple disciplines or in disciplines that have just emerged. These tend to relate to the world of information technology.
IIT Madras chose BSc in programming and data science as its first online degree programme because every component can be taught online, including practical learning. PrathapHaridoss, coordinator for IIT Madras Online Degree Programme, said: “A total of 30,276 candidates had applied for the first qualifier process.… Anyone can learn data science, you don’t have to be from a technical background to understand the techniques involved in
the field.”
A total of 8,154 students qualified the foundational level of the programme through an “in-person qualifier exam”. AkritiVishwas from LakhimpurKheri in Uttar Pradesh has enrolled for the programme. “I just completed Class 12 and was enrolled in a bachelor degree in physics at Hansraj College of Delhi University. Apart from my college degree, I wanted to explore something new. This programme seemed exciting to me.” She cleared the “qualifier level” and is now in the foundational level.
If a learner completes all 31 courses (116 credits), they get a degree from IIT Madras. IIT Madras treats this online BSc degree as equivalent to any other on-campus degree. While lessons are online, in-person invigilated exams in exam centres spread across the country ensure that the sanctity and academic rigour of assessments are maintained.
PrathapHaridoss,
Coordinator, IIT Madras
IIT Madras Online Degree Programme
Online courses will give a lot of flexibility...Online courses give opportunity to learners from various backgrounds, various locations to participate without too many barriers
SmitaJadhav,
Executive Director, Centre for Online Learning,
Dr. D.Y.PatilVidyapeeth
We are planning to add more new courses in the coming months and year. We keep tabs on the changing market scenario and demands. Accordingly, we plan and formulate new courses that will meet the students’ demands and expectations which will assist them in boosting their careers and career path
Ajit Chauhan,
Chairman,
Amity University Online and Amity Future Academy
Like the curriculum, the fee also is differentiated for online. Keeping the rigour of learning the same as regular programs but still bringing in economic benefits of the students is the core endeavour, thus being able to make education accessible to wider audience
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