The Mahatma Gandhi University (MGU), Kottayam, has become the first university in the State to receive the University Grants Commissions (UGC) permission to launch online undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.
According to Vice Chancellor Sabu Thomas, the UGC’s Distance Education Bureau has given permission for three programmes, the application for which were submitted last year. It was in October 2020 that the Syndicate had established a centre for online education to launch online undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. The university has applied for permission to launch 10 more programmes online this year.
“As part of the first phase, we have decided to apply for permission to launch BCom and BBA degree programmes and MCom postgraduate degree courses online. The territorial jurisdiction of the university is not applicable for conducting online programmes and students from anywhere in the world can join these programmes,” he said.
The admission, teaching, learning management, fee payment, examinations, valuation, and mark list will be carried out using the MGU-ALEMS (Automated Learning and Evaluation Management System). As part of it, steps are in place to upgrade the software by adding more features.
The MGUIF (Mahatma Gandhi University Innovation Foundation), a subsidiary of the university, will prepare the e-learning materials and offer technical assistance for online learning. Works on a state-of-the-art studio and recording labs, which are being established for the purpose, are nearing completion.
As online undergraduate and postgraduate programmes are considered equivalent to the regular programme, the UGC stipulates the online programmes to follow the same syllabus and curriculum as the regular programmes conducted by the university. The UGC regulation also stipulates that only those with 75% of attendance in the online classes will be allowed to appear for the examination.
In view of the COVID-19 situation, the university has extended the date of admissions till November.
