A Study of the Development of the State Open Universities in India

Consultant's Report
Prepared by: T. Rajagopalan,
Journalist & Former Education Correspondent, THE HINDU

November, 2007 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

In a vast country like India with a large reservoir of talent, facilities for higher education for all aspirants do not exist in the formal conventional university system. The corollary is that Open and Distance Learning ODL institutions must take up the challenge of providing opportunities to the bulk of the aspiring learners. ODL has now come to be recognized as a parallel mode in the field of higher education, rightly so because of its tremendous advantages, thanks to the induction of technology.

The State Open Universities in India reveal a picture of diversified growth. Being the first state O.U., the Andhra Pradesh O.U. (now called Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University or BRAOU) established in 1982 started off well with many programmes, and dynamic leadership during the first few years. Unfortunately, however, a situation of complacency and bureaucratic control has dominated the scene in the recent past.

In the years 1987 to 1998, eight state O.U.s were established in as many states, namely Bihar (1987), Rajasthan (1987), Maharashtra (1989), Madhya Pradesh (1991), Gujarat (1994), Karnataka (1996), W. Bengal (1997), and Uttar Pradesh (1998). Tamil Nadu (2002), Chhattisgarh (2004), Uttarakhand, earlier called Uttaranchal (2005), and Assam (2006) set up OUs after the turn of this century.

Several minor variations are seen among the Indian State OUs in matters like disciplines of study and delivery of courses, but along with this aspect, almost all the State OUs offer the regular degree (B.A./B.Com./B.Sc.) and P.G. (M.A/M.Com/M.Sc) courses. The reason seems to be the large number of youth aspiring to get a degree. To a certain extent, there is also duplication in course offerings. Some programmes like M.B.A. are highly popular.

Although the Indian State OUs have managed to register huge enrolment figures over the last two decades, a close look at the scene makes one feel that a lot more is to be done to improve the quality and tone up student services. A few of the state OUs, however, have done well in respect, of both courses and social reach by way of equity and access. This has much to do with political and institutional leadership also.

Almost all state OUs in India claim that they provide a better quality alternative to the programmes and courses offered by the correspondence course institutes run by conventional universities. Here also, a certain amount of divergence is seen between the OUs.

The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), New Delhi, provides a good example of a national OU extending all possible aid to state OUs in matters pertaining to the academic and other crucial areas. The Distance Education Council (DEC) as a unit of IGNOU has formulated clear guidelines for encouraging and assisting state OUs in matters of training and funding. But the dominant feeling among state OUs is that DEC must be made an autonomous body in order to fulfill its objective more effectively.