Nalanda Open University to Revise Study Materials for UGC Acceptance

The Nalanda Open University (NOU), Bihar’s only provider of the distance education, has resolved and upgraded its Self Learning Materials (SLMs) for all the subjects to get a valid recognition from the University Grants Commission’s (UGC’s) Distance Education Bureau (DEB).

This decision was taken on Saturday, 12th July 2021, at a meeting of the subject administrators held at the University’s headquarters at Nalanda, headed by the University Vice-Chancellor Rabindra Kumar. The meeting participants discussed the limitations of the current study material and agreed to resolve it with the help of experienced academic professionals and by implementing the recommendations from the National Education Policy 2020.

Addressing the gathered participants, the VC stated that the study materials must align with the choice-based credit system (CBCS) syllabi. NOU has already implemented the semester system in many of the courses. He adds that DEB will only recognise the University’s Undergraduate courses if the SLMs of these courses are thoroughly upgraded and advanced to match the quality of courses in other institutions of India.

The former vice-chancellor of NOU and Patna University, Rash Bihari Prasad Singh, who was appointed as the Chief Guest, and conveyed the concern that none of the students were admitted in the Undergraduate Courses due to the low quality of the study materials.

Mr. Prasad also called for some urgent revisions in the SLMs so that the UGC recognition could be restored and a larger number of admissions could be resumed.

Singh also highlighted that NOU plays an important role in Bihar’s Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) of getting enrolled in the Higher education, which is accessible to all the youth from the economically backward regions of Bihar. The infrastructure of the University has also improved significantly, and now it is the turn to bring back the academic standards in line.