New Delhi: On behalf of numerous students pursuing distance programmes, all such Universities and institutions across the country are directed to ensure transparency. They have been cautioned for giving misleading advertisements in newspapers, stating that their programs are recognized by the Distance Education Council (DEC). The institutions / Universities have been directed to submit their applications to the DEC within a month's time, in the prescribed Performa available on the DEC website, for obtaining recognition for themselves and their programs.
Prof V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai, Chairman of the Distance Education Council (DEC) and Vice Chancellor of the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), in a note of caution, have mentioned that the DEC has prescribed guidelines for determination of the standards for Distance Education systems in the country. Prof Pillai also added that therefore, it is mandatory for all Institutions, Centres and Directorates offering programmes through the distance education mode to get their Degrees, Diplomas and Certificate programmes recognized and approved by the DEC.
However, those institutions already running distance education programmes, must apply to DEC for recognition of the institution and its programmes. Such institutes are solely responsible for adhering strictly to the norms prescribed by the concerned statutory authorities for offering professional and technical programmes. Further, those Universities, which have been approved by DEC for the academic year 2009-10 onwards, were also asked to clearly mention the names of the programmes for which approval has been granted to them, in their advertisements.
Prof. Pillai has mentioned that the institutions violating these norms would be liable to be de-recognized by the DEC. Further, it has also been informed to the institutions offering education through distance mode that any degree/ diploma/ certificate being offered by them through distance mode not recognized by DEC, shall not be accepted for employment in Government service.
