Supreme Court ruling on open university degrees

The Supreme Court (SC) recently came down heavily on institutions conferring distance education degrees in an erratic manner. The SC has
maintained that postgraduate degrees awarded by open universities under the distance education programme to students who did not have the basic three-year degree could not be treated on a par with conventional postgraduate degrees.

The ruling comes in the wake of the Madras High Court judgment that declared N Ramesh as ineligible for the post of principal, on account of acquiring an MA degree from Annamalai without having a three-year graduation degree. The ruling, in fact, has opened a Pandora’s Box.

First, there is confusion about whether the judgment is applicable to degrees offered by open universities or those acquired through distance mode. Moolchand Sharma, lawyer and vicechairperson, University Grants Commission (UGC), explains, “There is a confusion regarding the way education is imparted through correspondence, open universities or distance education. These three may coincide at some point when it comes to delivery of content but these are different concepts and play different roles.” Delhi University’s School of Open Learning (SOL), too, offers correspondence courses.

Explaining its position in the context of the judgment, H C Pokhariyal, executive director, SOL, said, “We offer programmes as per the norms set by UGC, hence, students should not feel that their degree’s value is lesser than the conventional one.”

Coming back to the verdict, does it mean that degrees offered by open universities will henceforth not be on a par with regular universities? V N Rajshekharan Pillai, while clarifying the stand of open universities, said, “We cannot compare an open university degree with a conventional one. They play different roles. Open universities reach out to the lowest strata of society to include poor, underprivileged and dropouts. But, considering the fact that open universities like Ignou are imparting quality education, one cannot undermine the validity of such degrees.”

In 1989, formal universities had been prevented from granting Master’s degrees if students had not completed a three-year degree course. Open universities continued doing so till 2004. Now the SC has thrown its weight behind the UGC’s 2004 cut-off for open varsities. Pillai, who has also been the chairman of UGC, thinks that the judgment must be applicable to those who are not offering courses listed under UGC’s norms.

“If any institution is offering courses outside the UGC provisions they are following malpractice. But by and large, degrees offered by open universities follow UGC guidelines,” says Pillai.

Source : indiatimes.com

To add to it, there is confusion about the role of Distance Education Council (DEC) and UGC in the area of distance education. Though open universities and other institutes offering distance education come under DEC, the SC has held the regulations framed by UGC as above DEC.

I enrolled myself for Ph.D. with Utkal University of Culture topic

"Vedas- A New Critical Analysis with Special Reference to Human Body and Health."


Not only that I found that Ravana the lankathipathi also wrote commentary in Rig Veda and authored "Arka Prakasa" which talks about Child birth and this was reproduced in Charka samhita written in 5th Centuary A.D. and repeated in 9th century. by Jeevika and spread in China.

Through this I found the NaNo rays can cure cancer, Coma, paralysis (this day we can say this as Supportive therapy).

These rays are by burning oils that created Uranium rays, that strengthen the Iron in blood.

This I shared with American Cancer Society, who offered me a Membership at free of cost (without paying any money) and asked me to send my thesis to them for Review.

Once I present this thesis I am sure the entire medical and astronomy field will get a shock, and they will take an U turn in their approach.

I expect my thesis to be presented by March 2010. with Utkal University of Culture, Bhubhaneshwar.

But I am yet to get the Registration Number from the University.

The Education systems in our country is very very in awkward condition. The Universities prefers to give honorary Doctorates to Politicians, Cine Artists who didn't do any research and helped the society but to get publicity the Universities are behind the Cine Artists and to gain personal confidence and earn a name the Committee members of the Universities prefers to recommend candidates for Honorary doctorates. There is no validity in this.

On the other hand if a person who passed the Masters degree in Open Universities, Joined M.Phil., and wish to join Ph.D., on the knowledge he has, and he hopes that the presentations of his thesis will help the public and innovation he makes will be appreciated by the world of intellectuals, the Universities close their eyes and says that he is unfit since he didn't hold a Bachelor degree.

The presentation of the thesis even if is excellent and challenging the authorities are closing their eyes and throwing Gems and diamonds in to dust bin.

When this will Change?

My suggestion to Supreme Court Judges
The award of Honorary doctorate to Politicians and cine artists should also be avoided, as this will not serve any purpose both to the Universities and Public.

Secondly instead of disqualifying the Open University direct Master's degree the Court should permit teaching staffs with M.A.s and if so desire the Administration power for those with direct M.A.s can be scrapped. and research works allowed and honored.

Will the supreme court consider this?

I support the decision that postgraduate degrees shouldn’t be awarded by open universities under the distance education programme to the students who did not have the basic three-year degree. UGC should also interfere in such practices.

Then what is the use of Honorary doctorate given to cine artists and Politicians?
In which way these Doctorate are going to help them and at whose expenses these functions are celebrated?
Does the Actor and politicians sponsor and pay for the expanses?

My view is that the person who read through correspondence pays more attention than that of a regular candidates.

The regular candidate hardly attend classes and most of the days the collages are on strike.

The supreme court can permit the persons who wish to teach and teachers who already holds such degrees.

In Tamil nadu itself there are 2,50,000 students who did through open universities and if they loose jobs, the government will not fill the post making the administration a stand still.