Distance education courses in universities may increase study costs

KOLLAM: There are concerns that students may have to spend more on their education if the Sree Narayana Guru Open University Act is amended to allow all universities in the state to offer distance education courses.

Universities will have to incur huge expenses to recruit more teachers and provide the necessary facilities to start distance education courses. If they fail to make these arrangements and offer only a few contact classes, students will have to depend on parallel educational institutions for academic support. This could make education unaffordable, even for students from financially weaker sections.

As a result, distance education courses offered by universities may end up following the private registration model. Under UGC regulations, a university must appoint a separate director to start distance education courses. Each undergraduate course requires three teachers. To start a postgraduate course in a subject, the university must appoint two additional teachers. Teachers are also needed to conduct counselling classes at study centres. These requirements will increase the financial burden on universities.

The Sree Narayana Guru Open University conducts classes by paying temporary counsellors Rs 1,200 per hour. The cost of conducting counselling classes for just one course at a study centre once a week comes to Rs 7,200. The university conducts counselling classes once a week for 30 undergraduate and postgraduate courses across 79 study centres. Nearly 60% of the university's revenue is spent on conducting these classes and preparing study materials.

Pressure continues

Two weeks ago, Minister Roji M. John told the Assembly that the government was not considering granting permission to other universities to offer distance education courses. However, pressure from certain quarters continues.