Lok Sabha Question No. 77 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-11-30
Subject: Scrapping of Courses by IGNOU
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: GOKARAJU GANGA RAJU, A.T. (NANA) PATIL, R. GOPALAKRISHNAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 77

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 30 th  NOVEMBER, 2015

## Scrapping of Courses by IGNOU

## 77.   DR. GOKARAJU GANGA RAJU: SHRI A.T. NANA PATIL: SHRI R. GOPALAKRISHNAN:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Indira  Gandhi  National  Open  University  (IGNOU)  has  scrapped  various programmes/courses; (b)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  reasons  therefor  and  the  steps  taken  by  the Government  to  ensure  completion  of  courses  by  the  bona  fide  students  enrolled  with community college under IGNOU; (c) whether the IGNOU has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Army to provide soldiers B. Sc. and  B. Com. degrees under Gyandeep Scheme,  if  so, the details thereof; and (d) the steps taken by the Government to work out a special scheme for armed forces in the
- matter and to honour the MoU signed with Army?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

## (SMT. SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

(a) & (b): As per the information furnished by the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU),  a  large  number  of  programmes  were  offered  through  face-to-face  mode  by  the University by signing MoUs with Private Institutions which were not as per the mandate of the  university.  Subsequently,    based  on  the  report  of  a  High  Powered  Committee,  the university has discontinued/kept in abeyance some of its programmes including community colleges  offered  through  face-to-face  mode  and  also  programmes  running  in  collaboration with other institutions in the country and abroad from the academic cycle commencing July,

2012. The  main reasons were that the courses offered were neither  in accordance with the university's Statutes nor the University had domain knowledge and subject expertise in their curriculum design and delivery.

The  University  further  informed  that  245  academic  programmes  have  been  kept  in abeyance  as  they  did  not  meet  the  requirement  of  the  University  Act/Statutes/Ordinances. However, the students admitted till January, 2012 admission cycle are allowed to complete their  programmes  of  studies  and  with  regard  to  declaration  of  results,  54,516  [Certificate20442,  Diploma-31644  and  Associate  Degree  (Advance  Diploma)-2430]  grade  cards  and provisional certificates have been issued to the students registered under Community College Scheme. (c):  As per the  information  furnished by IGNOU, a MoU was signed between IGNOU and Indian Army on 4 th September, 2009 for Gyandeep Scheme with the objective of conferring educational certification on soldiers of the Indian Army, within the parameters laid down by IGNOU, for Community Colleges, recognizing the 'In Service' training done by them. This would  be  within  the  broad  framework  set  out  by  the  University,  through  registration  of Regimental Training Centres/Human Resource Development centres of the Indian Army and Army  Schools  of  Instruction  which  would  be  hereinafter  known  as  'Army-IGNOU Community College' or 'Community Colleges.' Further, as per the provisions  of  the aforesaid  MoU,  the  students  after  acquiring  skills/knowledge  worth  64  credits  from  the Army-IGNOU Community Colleges,  have  the  option  of  vertical  mobility  into  3 rd year  of B.A./B.Com./B.Sc. of IGNOU. (d): As per the information furnished by IGNOU, to honor the MoU, so far the University has issued 3,73,047 Degrees/Grade Cards/Provisional Certificates based on the results provided by  the  Indian  Army  and  also  permitted  vertical  mobility  of  Gyandeep  Associate  Degree year  of  B.A./B.Com./B.Sc  (Hons.  In  Applied  Science)

(Advance Diploma) holders  into 3 rd form July 2015 Session as per the decision of the 64 th Academic Council meeting held on 10 th July, 2015.

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