We will adopt 'blended learning' when universities reopen: UGC Chairman

NEW DELHI: For when colleges and universities re-open, the University Grants Commission, or UGC, is considering a "blended learning" approach that could involve all universities being allowed to teach up to 40% of their classes online, UGC chairman DP Singh told Careers360 on Wednesday.

He said that the UGC will soon frame fresh regulations to allow universities to offer online education in line with the Prime Minister e-Vidya scheme.

To this end, the higher education regulator will amend the existing regulation on online courses to allow universities with a 3.01 grade and above in the NAAC accreditation system to start full-fledged degree programmes but with permission. Institutions with a NAAC rating of 3.26 and above and ranking among the top 100 in the ‘university’ category of the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), can launch full-fledged online degree programmes without having to seek special permission. This will allow more institutions to offer online degree programmes.

Re-opening colleges, universities

Singh said that the UGC is working on fresh guidelines for reopening of colleges and universities which will be issued soon.

He said that UGC is looking at blended learning, which would include online learning, once the institutions re-open. “We will be coming up with guidelines in this regard keeping wider perspectives in mind,” said Singh. He also hinted that as the situation in the country related to COVID-19 pandemic is still evolving, UGC will soon come up with fresh guidelines.

Singh told Careers360 that in the blended learning system, all universities in the country will be able to offer 40% classes through online mode. The second change will be the offer of full-fledged online degree programmes. Until now the regulation required universities to be among the top 100 and to have a 3.26 grade from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). "Keeping the changing environment in mind we are revising the regulations, we will allow universities having 3.01 grade in NAAC in the top 100 in the universities category," he said.

Singh also said that UGC is working on an integrated version of online and Open and Distance Learning (ODL) mode of education, as many of the universities are offering both.

Dual-degree programmes

Talking about dual-degree programme for students, Singh said that UGC will come up with fresh regulations in this regard under which students will be able to pursue two degree programmes, one in offline mode another in online mode.

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