UGC: Exams conducted Online for Open & Distance Learning Courses not Valid

Exams conducted Online for Open & Distance Learning Courses not Valid: UGC

University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued a notice to all approved distance and open learning universities informing that for any course offered by them if degrees/certificates are offered to candidates on the basis of their performance in an online exam then such degrees/certifications would not be valid. UGC states that rules set by it for open and distance learning universities do not allow such tests.

Confirming the same an official of UGC’s distance education bureau informed that universities approved by it had agreed to its condition that until a policy is framed and further approved by it, they would not offer any online programme such that its exam is conducted online.

Sources share that UGC does not approve of online examinations for such courses because it is felt that conducting an exam for large number of students involves a lot of management which include managing a foolproof system such that there is reliable network which connects the exam centres. Further, for conducting online exams the question banks also need to be prepared.

However, authorities at Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) feel that it now time for educational institutes to move towards online examinations. Vice Chancellor of IGNOU, Ravindra Kumar was quoted by a national daily as saying, “Regulations for conducting programmes online should be considered on a priority basis. A lot has changed in the past many years and we need to embrace technology in education too. We can use our study centres where online exams can be conducted, which will bring in greater transparency too. UGC should come out with regulations for online exams soon”.