TNOU to launch online courses in distance education programme

In a first, the Tamil Nadu Open University (TNOU) will offer online courses for students seeking admissions through the distance education programme.

At present, the cumulative student strength of TNOU is about 11.12 lakh across 220 programmes of various disciplines and skills, at different levels from preparatory stage to research. A senior official from the Higher Education Department told DT Next that the University Grants Commission (UGC) has permitted it to start eight online courses during the first phase.

Stating that the UGC had recently laid down new regulations to start online courses in open universities, the official said TNOU will be the second university after the Indira Gandhi National Open University to launch online courses under distance education programme. “At present, the authorities are in the process of designing the online courses as per the regulation laid down by the UGC,” the official said, adding the government has sanctioned an initial allocation of Rs 50 lakh for the purpose. The official pointed out that the courses would be designed for conventional learners as well as working professionals and other individuals.

The official said that more than five lakh bibliographic contents and institutional repositories like question papers, lecture videos and power point presentations would be uploaded. “A full-time faculty will act as a programme coordinator for each of the course or programme offered through online mode,” the official added. The official said examiners would also be appointed from among the qualified faculty for assessing the online learners. “We have already sent the list of 20 programmes that has to be shortlisted by the UGC,” the source added.

Claiming that TNOU was the only university to have got approval from the UGC for offering more number of programmes under distance education mode, the official said more than two lakh students are expected to enrol online. “The admission to the short time online course is expected to start in January 2020 and another two-year online programme will be available for the students from the coming academic year,” the official said.