Section 8 in University Grants Commission (Open and Distance Learning) Regulations, 2017
8. Quality Assurance.
(1)A Higher Educational Institution offering programme(s) in Open and Distance learning mode shall, take the following steps, namely :-(i)establish a Centre for Internal Quality Assurance exclusively for programmes in the Open and Distance Learning mode within one year from the coming into force of these regulations;(ii)follow the Quality Assurance Guidelines on learning materials in multiple media, human resources, curriculum and pedagogy, as specified by the Commission in Annexure VII or by any other agency authorised by it for prescribing such guidelines, and shall post its quality assurance mechanism on the website;(iii)take adequate measures for training and capacity building of its teaching and administrative staff and counsellors at regular intervals;(iv)shall ensure that the quality of programmes of study offered through Open and Distance Learning mode are maintained at par with standards obtaining in the conventional mode of class-room teaching as provided by the Commission or the appropriate statutory authority;(v)shall award only such degrees as specified under section 22 of the Act, and permitted in the Order of recognition under clause (i) of sub-regulation (4) of regulation 3. However, the Higher Educational Institutions may continue to offer Certificate or Diploma or Post Graduate Diploma programmes subject to the condition that all the Certificate or Diploma or Post Graduate Diploma programmes are duly approved by the statutory authorities or bodies of the respective Higher Educational Institutions and the delivery mechanism conforms to the quality standards of the Open and Distance learning education as specified by the Higher Educational Institutions and further, the Higher Educational Institutions may offer Certificate or Diploma or Post Graduate Diploma in professional programmes (other than in engineering, medicine, dental, nursing, pharmacy, architecture and physiotherapy etc. and programmes not permitted to be offered in distance mode by any other regulatory authority) subject to the condition that the concerned Higher Educational Institution has already obtained or received the requisite approvals from the concerned statutory regulatory authorities or councils before the actual start of such courses or programmes through Open and Distance Learning mode;(vi)the Higher Educational Institutions shall have to exhibit the copies of the approval letters duly obtained or received from the concerned statutory regulatory authority or council to run the professional courses or programmes on the Higher Educational Institutions website as well as against the name of the each professional Certificate or Diploma or Post Graduate Diploma programmes in the brochure or bulletin of the respective Higher Educational Institution and inform the same to the University Grants Commission from time to time in the matter:Provided that in case of violation of these regulations, the provisions specified under sub-regulation (3) of regulation 4 shall apply; and(vii)shall ensure that the academic and instructional facilities at its Learner Support Centres, and information resources for on-line delivery of programmes meet the guidelines laid by the Commission from time to time, and are commensurate with the number of programmes and enrolments thereto.(2)A Higher Educational Institution offering programme in Open and Distance Learning mode shall, in order to facilitate the pace of learning and multiple choice for learners, prepare Self Learning Material taking into consideration the following, namely :-(i)Self Learning Material has clearly stated objectives, intended learning outcomes, study guidance and advice for the learners as to how to optimally use the material and suggestive related reference material to enhance the learning experience, and linkage within the text with other media (for digital SLM) is maintained for easy referencing and progress;(ii)Self Learning Material developed and offered by it is self-explanatory, self-contained, illustrative, easily comprehensible, and in manageable modules such as units and blocks;(iii)Self Learning Material provides adequate mechanism for the learners to provide feedback on their understanding of the subject;(iv)Self Learning material is revised periodically from the perspective of improving quality and learner support; and(v)Guidelines on preparation of Self-Learning material as shown in Annexure VIII:Provided that a Higher Educational Institution shall prepare the Self Learning Material only after approval of the Programme Project Report:Provided further that no programme in Open and Distance Education mode shall be launched by a Higher Educational Institution unless it has prepared the Self Learning Material taking into consideration the above factors.
