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Answer five questions worth 100 marks from Section 1 and 2. Attempt at least two questions from each
section.
SECTION–A
Answer at least two questions in about 500 words each from this section.
Q. 1. ‘Schools perpetuate structural inequalities of power and access to resources’. Discuss.
Ans. Education is always offers a great and prosperous future. It widens the horizons and moreover ensures the
mobility. Furthermore, many countries have implemented policies that are explicitly targeted at affecting the
distribution of education among social and ethnic groups. This raises the issue of how to evaluate these policies, not
only in the technical sense of how to assess outcomes, but also in the political-philosophical sense of what is considered
the desirable outcome.
The core of Apple’s thesis in Educating the “Right” way is that the educational policies promoted by a coalition
of rightist groups–the forces of “conservative modernization,” as he calls them–bring with them myriad and dire
unintended consequences, which, if left unchecked, threaten to all but destroy public education in this country. More
broadly, Apple argues that the political right has successfully convinced Americans that, for varied and sometimes
contradictory reasons, we can improve our schools by opening them to the healthy competition of the free market.
Rigorous standards, measured primarily by standardized testing, combined with “school choice,” will allow parents
to see which schools are the best and to send their kids there. Meanwhile, if public institutions can’t measure up,
voucher plans will help parents send their kids to private or charter schools, or teach them at home. If these ideas
sound familiar, that’s because they form the basis of the Bush administration’s “No Child Left Behind Act” (NCLB)
of 2001, a “reform” that the Department of Education (DOE) correctly claims “contains the most sweeping changes
to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) since it was enacted in 1965” (“Introduction”). As Apple
argues, the right has succeeded in selling its educational agenda to the public because it first succeeded in redefining
the “keywords” used in the debate over education, including the concepts that form the title of his book-markets,
standards, God, and inequality.
Apple exposes the flaws in the right’s agenda by first mapping the ideological makeup of the various “interests”
on the right which have managed to shift the terrain of public debate–about education and almost everything else–
squarely into their own backyards. Those interests include four main groups: neoliberals, neoconservatives,
authoritarian populists, and “the managerial and professional new middle class”. Apple’s goal is to interrogate the
questions raised by this coalition’s remapping of everything from the meaning of “freedom” to the definition of
“common sense.”
Apple argues that educational reforms must begin with “the act of repositioning,” which “in essence says that
the best way to understand what any set of institutions, policies, and practices does is to see it from the standpoint of
ASSIGNMENT SOLUTIONS GUIDE (2016-2017)
M.S.O.E.-001
Sociology of Education
Disclaimer/Special Note: These are just the sample of the Answers/Solutions to some of the Questions given in the
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information, data and solution. Student should must read and refer the official study material provided by the university.

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those who have the least power”. Viewed from this perspective, reforms that promote charter schools and voucher
plans take on a whole new meaning. Instead of improving education for those with the fewest resources, these plans
tend to encourage “capital flight” from poor and “under-performing” schools, leaving the most disadvantaged children
even further behind.
Q. 2. Compare the role of education in nation-building in India with that in other countries.
Ans. Nation-Building In India: Education is the key for awakening in India and any country. Education is the
root for tomorrow’s tree. Education has the power to transcend all barriers of country, religion, language, caste,
creed, rich and poor. In Sanskrit there is a saying that can summarize the role of education in India’s progress in
education.
Education provides direction to the individual, society and the country as a whole. Education is a never ending
process. Formal education may complete after 15-16 years of school or college education, but education as a whole
continues forever. At every step of life, there is an education, not just a lesson.
Today, India provides services of innumerable kind to all countries in the world. This is evident from the fact
that Indians work in every country on this planet. The demand for Indian brains is increasing. This might result in
brain-drain, but this brings a increased flow of foreign exchange to the economy. When we chart of this progression
backwards, we reach to a point where a sound education structure is the cause. Education is a vital lifeline for India’s
surge in the world.
Education empowers the individual. It makes the person think beyond the known realms. It instigates people to
think beyond. If there is a man-made satellite hurtling towards the edge of solar system to see what lies beyond, its
down to the seamless thinking of one person who dreamt one such thought, based on his understanding and education.
The substitute, an education system based on the ethic of consumption, concentrates on immediate gratification with
benefits that are short-term–an imperative that has become only too familiar among students, institution and
government. Education can be defined as an investment, not a fiscal liability. Education professionals are valued as
the core source of intellectual capital for the knowledge society, not as self-serving vested interests. Long-term
capacity for pure and applied research and rewards for innovation are seen as prerequisites for economic success;
but so is a well-educated population with the capacity to contribute to their society as workers and citizens. It is
multidisciplinary and multidimensional, according parity of esteem to those who teach and study in differentiated
parts of the education system that meet the society’s diverse needs. And it seeks to close the gaps in equity which
have widened over recent years, denying the right of all people to participate in the society to which they belong.
Nation-building in Other Countries
Nation-building is a normative concept that means different things to different people.The latest conceptualization
is essentially that nation-building programmes are those in which dysfunctional or unstable or “failed states” or
economies are given assistance in the development of governmental infrastructure, civil society, dispute resolution
mechanism, as well as economic assistance, in order to increase stability. Nation-building generally assumes that
someone or something is doing the building intentionally.
In order to understand the idea of nation-building and its history in European States, it is necessary to clarify the
meaning of a nation. Some scholars define a state as a community with the monopoly of legitimate use of force in a
specific territory. In view of this definition, nation-building may be defined as the process of integrating the efforts
of citizens within the State. Additionally, it can be viewed as the process of expanding citizenry and giving them a
right to participate in the political decisions of the day. There are other modern definitions of nation-building;
however, this particular essay will focus on the former mentioned definition as this is particularly relevant to the
European revolutions. The similarities and differences of three European nations–UK, France and Russia, will be
analyzed and a conclusion made.
After the 1707 Union, Britain had to deal with several uprisings. In the mid-18th century, the American colonists
refused to pay taxes to the British. They take support from the French and began the American Revolution in 1775.
This led to the independence of the Americans and marked Britain’s interests in Africa and Asia. The French were
also interested in colonialism; however, their reasons behind these interests were quite different. The Britain was
mostly interested in the colonies for trade while the French wanted to expand their cultural supremacy. This latter
issue was the reason why the French wanted to convert the ways of life of their respective citizens.

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Britain began dominating most territories of the world and France tried to the same, but was not able to reach
Britain’s level. France became a force to reckon with under Napoleon’s rule. The French empire had threatened to
take over British colonies and also to attack the British Empire directly.
Similarly, Russian was also under threat from foreign intervention. However, their case was different because
the UK was able to overcome French forces yet Russia could not overcome the Bolsheviks. The Russians formed a
coalition of two different factions; these were the moderate socialists and the liberals. Due to the differences in
ideologies between these two groups, their policies failed to work. This left Russia susceptible to foreign attack thus
facilitating the seizure of power by a communist group known as the Bolsheviks in the year 1917.
Besides this challenge, Britain was also undergoing a lot of religious and political tensions within its borders.
Great Britain was in the process of integrating Ireland as part of its citizenry. However, this merger was based on
religious standings. The British monarch and his Parliament were largely Protestants and they did not want the Irish
to send Catholic representatives to Parliament. This was quite unfair because almost 90% of the population in
Ireland was Roman Catholic. These religious tensions affected the Union of Great Britain and Ireland after 1800.
Similarly, Russia was facing its own internal problems. Many peasants in the mid-18th century were opposed to
abolition of serfdom that had occurred during the year 1861. Consequently, many citizens felt the need for a revolution
in order to show their increasing discontent with the policies of the Russian Government.
The French were also undergoing their own share of religious conflicts. Perhaps their depiction of religious
tensions was the worst among these three European countries. In the 16th century, the French wars of Religion were
some of the worst in the continent. These tensions were mostly between the Roman Catholics and the Protestants
with the latter managing to garner support from other countries such as the German and the Spanish.
In the beginning of the 19th century, the French under Napoleon Bonaparte grew to become the most influential
army in Europe. However, the UK still dominated the economic sector. Consequently, France wanted to introduce
the continental system in order to exclude the UK from this union and also in order to achieve dominance in Europe.
However, this arrangement did not work. This battle for supremacy was an issue that determined the latter two
country’s expansion strategies.
But it is important to look at the evolution of theories of nation-building and at the other concepts which it has
both supplanted and included. Many people believe that nation-building is evolutionary rather than revolutionary,
that it takes a long time and is a social process that cannot be jump–started from outside. The evolution of the Italian
city-states into a nation, the German city-states into the Zollverein customs union and later a nation, the multiple
languages and cultural groups in France into the nation of France, the development of China from the warring
kingdoms, took a very long time, and were the result, not only of political leadership, but of changes in technology
and economic processes (the agricultural and then industrial revolutions), as well as communication, culture and
civil society, and many other factors.
Some African countries are enduring especially severe conditions as a result of famine or oppression. People in
this situation are often more concerned with preserving their lives than thinking about the need for education.
Starving children or citizens who are brutally oppressed have more immediate concerns. The serious problems they
experience have many causes and remedies, but education should still be considered an issue that will have some
impact on building the nation.
Every country needs stability with a legal and economic system that works for the benefit of the people. The
power of a good educational system cannot be over-emphasized, as it is the foundation on which stable nations are
formed. Illiteracy is a major problem in some African countries and has a detrimental effect on their infrastructure,
giving the impression that they are not developed. When citizens are well educated, they have a sense of purpose and
the confidence to pursue careers that add stability to their nation. Every successful nation educates its people and
this serves for the good of the entire country.
Let us also take the example of the country named Fiji. Non-formal education was practiced in Fiji before the
advent of schooling. Young people learned the knowledge and skills for economic and social survival in a highly
organized fashion with recognized and experienced adult members of the community as teachers. Learning was
community-based and was through observation, imitation and on-the-job-experience. Adults also continued to learn
through participation and sharing in community activities and ceremonies.Although the content, method and direction

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of what was learned was limited and confined, it was relevant to their way of life, the resources available and their
ability to meet extended family and community needs. Learning was community-based and it was an important
process, as it ensured continuity and sustainability of community life.
In the early days of Christianity, there was also much non-formal education in literacy, agriculture, and home
economics and hygiene. When such classes were replaced by formal education, these traditional forms of organized
and structured learning were no longer emphasized and valued although they continue to influence cultural and
social life in the rural communities. Formal education was valued more and seen as prestigious as it paved the way
to ‘white-collar jobs’ mainly in the modern sectors of society.
We have to acknowledge that formal education has contributed and will continue to play an important role in the
preparation of literate and educated human resources for the modern economy. However, we also have to accept the
reality that there is a mismatch between the output of the formal education system, the aspirations of school leavers
and paid employment opportunities. A significant number of young people are excluded from formal education or
the formal sector of employment.
Q. 3. Critically examine issues of access, retention, and performance of students who avail the policy of
positive discrimination.
Ans. Due to historical reasons, India is characterized by the persistence of regional and social disparities in
general and that of educational development in particular. It is a country of contrasts as there are areas/groups of
population that attained universal literacy long ago, the others are still striving to cross even the single digit threshold.
The World Conference on Education for all reiterated the need for providing basic education to all children. The
Conference appropriately highlighted the need for improving the quality of learning outcomes. Thus, the goal of
universalization was not only related to universal access and retention, but also included achievement of the identified
competencies by all children. India is also committed to reduction of disparities and achieving universal literacy and
primary education. To fulfil these objectives, a decentralized and participatory approach to planning and management
of education has been identified as an essential pre-requisite. Although the emphasis of educational planning during
the last fifty years was on removing the supply side constraints, little could be accomplished in terms of quality
improvement. It is in this context that the DPEP was initiated in seven states covering 42 districts, mostly educationally
backward. The programme has expanded over the years and now covers 16 states and nearly 200 districts. The DPEP
strategy was drawn in tune with the national objectives of universal access, retention and achievement of minimum
levels of educational attainment with a focus on girls and children belonging to socially deprived and economically
backward sections of the society.
Besides the achievement of the quantitative and qualitative targets within the stipulated period, the major thrust
of the DPEP is to promote the decentralized management with active involvement of stakeholders that will have a
considerable impact on the sustainability of the project beyond its life-cycle. The cascading effect of many processes
like, community participation and revision of curriculum, improvements in classroom teaching-learning practices
and in-service training package for primary school teachers, in the long-term, will have a positive effect on retention
and quality improvement of the system of primary education. An educational management information system was
also established in DPEP districts to provide feedback on a number of key performance indicators relating to school
systems, fund flows and their utilization; and monitoring of project achievements in terms of physical and financial
targets.
Universal access to schooling facilities either within the habitation or at a reasonable walking distance is one of
the important prerequisite for achieving the goal of universal primary education. However, this may not be a sufficient
condition, as the existence or the availability of educational facility does not imply that it will be used or is usable
with optimal efficiency. The questions regarding the capacity, deployment of teaching and provision of other inputs
commensurate with the demand are equally important concerns for achieving the desired results. With increasing
emphasis on quality of education, it is also necessary that school conditions be such that all children acquire access
to education of a comparable quality irrespective of their location, caste and gender considerations. While, it may be
true that 98.5% of the population is served by a school within the walking distance of one km., the same is not true
of the quality of school infrastructure, availability of teachers, teaching-learning conditions and achievement levels
of the learners. The educationally backward districts/areas suffer more on account of the latter than the former.

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A variety of innovative and cost-effective strategies will have to be evolved to reach the unreached in isolated
and smaller habitations, habitations with large concentration of ST children and the areas having large concentration
of working and disabled children.
The girls’ participation and retention has improved considerably in the DPEP districts and significant progress
has been made to reduce inequities in access and retention between boys and girls. The IGE is more than 95 for 21
of the 42 districts. In other districts, except five districts in Madhya Pradesh, the index shows near absence of
inequities and is close to 95. The achievement in girls’ enrolment as reflected in IGE is a positive step forward and
need to be sustained.
The inequities in participation rates of SC, ST and others in primary education have tended to narrow down over
the years. There are some geographical areas where the ST enrolment is below the desired level. The situation is
improving as a result of the new innovative strategies likeAS/EGS. The geographical pockets with specific problems
of enrolment and retention for the ST children should be identified for possible interventions.
SECTION–B
Answer at least two questions in about 500 words each from this section.
Q. 6. What is multicultural education?
Ans. Cultural Diversities in Multicultural Education: Multicultural education views the aforesaid cultural
diversities:
● Multicultural education is an emerging discipline that aims to provide educational opportunities to learners
from diverse ethnic, cultural groups and social class. It seeks to help students acquire skills and positive
attitude to negotiate, communicate and interact with individuals from diverse cultures to create a moral and
civic community.
● The greatest advantage of a multicultural curriculum is that it encourages understanding and tolerance
between groups. Students can relate to one another in class, thereby creating harmony and cooperation.
● Reduction of personal detachment and ignorance are possible advantages to a multicultural system of
education.
● If we learn to embrace diversity in our society, the unconscious and conscious expressions of sexism (racism)
must be done away with completely. Multicultural education can help bring all cultures together in harmony.
● Multicultural education simply relates to instructions and education designed for several different races,
and is based upon consensus building, and fostering cultural diversity within racial societies. It incorporates
positive racial eccentricities into classroom atmosphere.
Dimensions of Multicultural Education
There are five broad dimensions of multicultural education, which are essential to successful multicultural
education programmes (Banks, 1997).
Content Integration involves using examples and content from a variety of cultures in education programmes.
Playing ethnic music during a programme could be one way to include contributions from different cultural groups.
Knowledge Construction can be explored by helping students understand, investigate and determine how the
implicit cultural assumptions, frames of reference, perspectives and biases within a discipline influence the ways in
which knowledge is constructed within it. For example, youth could examine the media to determine its impact on
gender stereotypes.
Prejudice Reduction is accomplished when programme curriculum develops positive attitudes toward different
racial, ethnic, and cultural groups. Educational programmes that involve youth and adults from diverse backgrounds
and provide opportunities to build relationships between one another can assist with prejudice reduction. Even
activities which allow participants to explore their biases can lead to prejudice reduction through awareness.
An Empowering Organizational Culture reduces barriers of programme participation for youth and adults from
diverse racial, ethnic and gender groups. Intricacies of organization, such as rules and procedures, funding to non-
traditional programmes, and privileged treatment are examined.
Equity Pedagogy speaks to programme delivery that reflects multicultural issues and concerns, which in turn
facilitates the achievement and development of students from diverse racial, gender, social class and other cultural
groups. Educators can examine the issues of their constituency to create programme address their needs.

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Why Is Multicultural Education Essential?
The term multicultural education is used to describe a variety of practices within curriculum and classroom
instructions. In some districts, it means a distinction in the ethnicity or gender of a particular class of students. In
other cases, the term is used to discuss a curriculum which encompasses education on a wide variety of cultures in an
effort to enhance the students’ knowledge and awareness of the world in which they live.
There are number of reasons why multicultural education is essential in the present global scenario. We have
discussed some of them below:
Bringing Culture to Life in the Classroom
Keeping this in mind, teachers should be prepared to teach units that fully address the cultures of other nations
throughout the year and across the curriculum and not just around the holidays. These units should discuss the food,
music, history, stories, clothing and belief systems of these cultures using appropriate curriculum.
Whenever possible, bringing actual souvenirs or artifacts from the country being studied can be a wonderful
teaching tool for all ages. Examples of such items might include a costume which demonstrates traditional clothing,
a piece of jewelry, a woven basket, a small figurine or statue, or foreign currency. To accomplish this part of the
lesson, it might be necessary to ask around among the faculty, friends or parents to see who has travelled and what
souvenirs are available.
Allowing students of differing backgrounds to share about the foods they eat at home or the first language of
their parents or grandparents offers a rich foundation for multicultural learning. Incorporating the ethnic diversity in
the classroom into the curriculum should not single students out as different, but contribute to the whole classroom’s
understanding of the diversity present in our world. Teachers should consider having parents involved in these
lessons, too, if this would add to the students’ experience and understanding of multi-culturalism and diversity.
Reaching Pre-Readers with Multiculturalism
For younger students, multicultural literature offers a means to bring the importance of multicultural education
into the classroom. Reading a picture book, such as “Jambo Means Hello” a Swahili counting book by Muriel
Feelings, is a great way to introduce a foreign culture. The story can then be augmented with photos from magazines
or the internet to remind the children that the places are real and not just imaginary. Classroom instruction might
include listening to folk music from the country being studied, eating a simple food from that nation, or doing a craft
that replicates a piece of traditional jewelry.
Reaching Older Students with Multicultural Lessons
Older elementary students and middle school students also benefit from multicultural education.At this age, it is
important to help the students understand that there is an entire world of customs beyond their own. While young
children accept this easily, they also have very little understanding of the size of the world in which they live. Older
students grasp the map and their place in it, but do not know much about life beyond their own existence. This is
where multicultural education makes the biggest impact.
One way to illustrate the world and the people in it is to bring in a fabric world map. These are available at most
retail fabric stores. To prepare for this exercise, clip out 20 or 30 magazine images of people from foreign countries.
Number the pictures 1 through 20 and make a list of each photograph and the country you think the people in the
photo belong to. Then have the children try to match each photograph with a spot on the map. It is important that it
be a fabric map as the children will likely step on it and pull it slightly and the fabric is much more durable than a
paper map. When the game is done the map should be covered with faces from all around the world. Teachers can
then point out simi-larities and differences, such as racial similarities among regions of the world.
Older elementary and middle school students might also appreciate reading short stories or books about fictional
or historical characters from around the world. Assignments can relate to the books being read and go beyond the
story to further discuss the national setting.
When it comes to high school students, teaching about world cultures can be easily accomplished through
assigning individuals reports. The students should be required to learn about the location, politics, history, climate,
geography and culture of the nation assigned. Oral presentations can help the entire class learn from each students
research. Teachers can choose whether oral reports should cover basic information or whether the students should
chose a particular element about the nation’s culture to share with the class. These reports can be as structured or fun
as the teacher permits. Students might be encouraged to dress in a traditional costume from their country, or perhaps
even cook a simple dish for the class to sample.

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Q. 9. Discuss the challenges to higher education.
Ans. The alternatives for facing the major issues related to higher education are listed below:
Globalization
Worldwide, universities continue to play a very vital and critical role in the development and evolution of
societies. Universities educate young minds and create aware and dynamic citizens. But much more than this,
universities generate new ideas and encourage innovation. A vibrant democracy like ours, wedded to the ideas of
pluralism, secularism and inclusion must have universities, which not only cherish these values but also actively
promote and nurture them.
Currently, higher education is drawing tremendous attention in both developing and developed countries. In the
developed countries the emphasis is on maintaining their edge in innovation and generation of knowledge. To maintain
their competitive superiority, the developed countries are investing heavily in R&D both in the private as well as the
public sector. It is worth noting that even a country like the USA, which remains the leader in science and technology,
is investing substantially in science education at all levels to encourage its younger generation to take to science as
a career so that it can maintain its leading position. These countries with their wealth of resources will also continue
to attract the best talent from all over the world to their universities and industry to maintain their competitive edge.
This one-way flow of the developing to the developed countries will only increase in the future due to the ageing
demography of western societies.
Privatization
At this point it is desirable to explicate the reasons why we believe that substantial public investments of the
kind outlined below are urgently necessary. At our present stage of growth, where there is increasing international
pressure for knowledge based, value-added development of major areas like pharmaceuticals, drugs, biotechnology,
nanoscience/technology, healthcare, genetics, information/computer technology etc., it is clear that both in terms of
numbers and quality, a vast expansion and intensification of higher level education embedded in research is essential.
This situation is different from the felt need for expansion in professional education and training, which has indeed
been met in many ways during the past decade or two. The first non-professional degree (viz. B.Sc.) by itself is,
unlike professional degrees, of not much value or societal attractiveness unless it is of educationally good quality,
obtained in a lively research environment, and is supplemented by a professional edge (e.g. additional skill building
that adds to employability) or research experience. We make several suggestions about how to achieve these. Of the
large number of such people with a first degree, a small fraction (typically a sixth) goes on to higher degree or
research; the remainder, if well trained, add to the knowledge economy in a wide variety of ways. Given the large
numbers, their less defined employability and the long gestation period, it is universal practice to have massive
public investments for ensuring their quality so that they effectively contribute to a knowledge economy. Our country
has, however, invested much less by international standards. Following the first wave of nation-building, the more
recent investments have been largely concentrated on relatively small, specialized and primarily research- oriented
institutions. At this stage, we need a second wave of nation-building. If we embark on this fully, not only will there
be a large number of skilled, well-trained, capable, flexible scientific knowledge workers needed both by our economy
and by the world, but there will also be a remarkable flowering of research (and development). We must seize this
opportunity since otherwise, in the intensely competitive, globalized environment of today; we will at best be spectators,
perhaps victims, but not participants.
Emergence of Open and Distance Education
The history of distance learning or education through distance mode in India, goes way back when the universities
started offering education through distance mode in the name of Correspondence Courses through their Directorate/
School of Correspondence Education. In those days, the courses in humanities and/or in commerce were offered
through correspondence and taken by those, who, owing to various reasons, including limited number of seats in
regular courses, employability, problems of access to the institutions of higher learning etc., could not get themselves
enrolled in the conventional ‘face-to-face’ mode ‘in-class’ programmes.
In the recent past, the demand for higher education has increased enormously throughout the country because of
awareness about the significance of higher education, whereas the system of higher education could not accommodate
this ever increasing demand.
Under the circumstances, a number of institutions including deemed universities, private universities, public
(government) universities and even other institutions, which are not empowered to award degrees, have started

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cashing on the situation by offering distance education programmes in a large number of disciplines, ranging from
humanities to engineering and management etc., and at different levels (certificate to under-graduate and post-
graduate degrees). There is always a danger that some of these institutions may become ‘degree mills’ offering sub-
standard/poor quality education, consequently eroding the credibility of degrees and other qualifications awarded
through the distance mode.This calls for a far higher degree of coordination among the concerned statutory authorities,
primarily, UGC, AICTE and IGNOU and its authority– the Distance Education Council (DEC).
Distance mode of education has an important role for:
(i) Providing opportunity of learning to those, who do not have direct access to face to face teaching, working
persons, housewives etc.
(ii) Providing opportunity to working professionals to update their knowledge, enabling them to switchover to
new disciplines and professions and enhancing their qualifications for career advancement.
(iii) Exploiting the potential of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the teaching and learning
process; and
(iv) Achieving the target of 15% of GER by the end of 11th Plan and 20% by the end of 12th Five Year Plan.
In order to discharge the constitutional responsibility of determination and maintenance of the standards in
Higher Education, by ensuring coordination among various statutory regulatory authorities as also to ensure the
promotion of open and distance education system in the country to meet the aspirations of all cross-sections of
people for higher education, the following policy in respect of distance learning is laid down:
In order to ensure proper coordination in regulation of standards of higher education in different disciplines
through various modes (i.e. face to face and distance) as also to ensure credibility of degrees/diploma and certificates
awarded by Indian Universities and other Education Institutes, an apex body, namely, National Commission for
Higher Education and Research shall be established in line with the recommendations of Prof. Yash Pal Committee/
National Knowledge Commission.AStanding Committee on Open and Distance Education of the said Commission,
shall undertake the job of coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of education through the distance
mode. Pending establishment of this body:
(i) Only those programmes, which do not involve extensive practical course work, shall be permissible through
the distance mode.
(ii) Universities/institutions shall frame ordinances/regulations/rules, as the case may be, spelling out the outline
of the programmes to be offered through the distance mode indicating the number of required credits, list of
courses with assigned credits, reading references in addition to self-learning material, hours of study, contact
classes at study centres, assignments, examination and evaluation process, grading etc.
(iii) DEC of IGNOU shall only assess the competence of university/institute in respect of conducting distance
education programmes by a team of experts, whose report shall be placed before the Council of DEC for
consideration.
(iv) The approval shall be given only after consideration by Council of DEC and not by Chairperson, DEC. For
the purpose, minimum number of mandatory meetings of DEC may be prescribed.
(v) AICTE would be directed under section 20 (1) ofAICTEAct 1987 to ensure accreditation of the programmes
in Computer Sciences, Information Technology and Management purposed to be offered by an institute/
university through the distance mode, by National Board of Accreditation (NBA).
(vi) UGC andAICTE would be directed under section 20(1) of their respectiveActs to frame detailed regulations
prescribing standards for various programmes/courses, offered through the distance mode under their
mandate,
(vii) No university/institute, except the universities established by or under anAct of Parliament/State Legislature
before 1985, shall offer any programme through the distance mode, henceforth, without approval from
DEC and accreditation by NBA. However, the universities/institutions already offering programmes in
Humanities, Commerce/Business/Social Sciences/Computer Sciences and Information Technology and
Manage-ment, may be allowed to continue, subject to the condition to obtain fresh approval from DEC and
accreditation from NBA within one year.
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