DU's School of Open Learning wants to expand to NCR

Delhi University’s School of Open Learning on Thursday said it has sought University Grants Commission’s permission to open study centres in the satellite cities of Delhi.

Over 50,000 students who come from the National Capital Region (NCR) are likely to benefit from the move.

The UGC’s current norms prevent DU’s distance learning arm from starting operations outside Delhi, according to SOL Director C S Dubey.

“We are planning to have study centres in border cities like Noida, Gurgaon, Faridabad, Sonipat and Kondli,” he said, adding that it will be quite a “timesaver” for students from NCR.

In order to get the ball rolling, SOL has shot off a letter to the UGC Chairperson Ved Prakash, asking him for his approval to start study centres in government-run schools and colleges.
For expansion within the city, DU’s distance learning arm is putting in efforts to open the study centres in Delhi Government’s colleges.

While Gargi College has given a nod for setting up of the SOL study centre, Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar College has allocated more classrooms to them.

Last year, the SOL had written to 50 colleges of the university, requesting for increasing the study centres.

“Besides asking colleges to open up more classrooms for study centres, we will also have to improve the student-teacher ratio. So this year, we have increased the number of teachers to 1,500 from 1,000 last year,” the SOL Director said.

Meanwhile, the SOL is also looking to improve digital resource for its students. The institution is exploring possibilities to partner with publisher so that e-books could be made available to the students for free.

“For this, we are organising brainstorming meet on e-textbook access for distance learners on October 15,” Dubey said.