Distance Learning in India: an overview

Distance learning or distance education has revolutionized the traditional educational methods in India by opening a number of opportunities for the learners. For a developing nation like us with fix number of seats in colleges and universities in comparison to its enormous population, it is rather difficult to provide opportunity to everyone to get enrolled. Moreover, distance learning is most opportune choice for those who want to leverage their knowledge and pursue higher education simultaneously while working.

Distance education is an innovative and flexible system of education where educators and learners are physically separated by time or space. There is no direct interaction or face to face activity between them. The learning material is sent to learners from time to time and they have to complete assignments and get it checked by their study centres. The study centres also help students with contact classes or sessions to get solved their problems and difficulties from the subject experts. In due course of time, growth of online education has revolutionized the distance education. However, a brief outline needs to be drawn here between distance learning and online learning. While distance learning courses may or may not be learning courses, all online degree courses can be termed as distance learning courses.

Distance learning is certainly not apt for those who prefer the face to face interaction and real-life discussions that is found only in the classroom. But, distance learning has been proved fruitful for students who want to leverage their knowledge while fulfilling family and work obligations. A person who has thirst for knowledge, but is unable to complete his/her education through regular system of education can avail the opportunity to complete education through distance mode of education. In other words, distance learning programs are fitting for those who want to learn and earn together. Besides, adults who wish to pursue lifelong education not only to enhance their skills but also to improve their quality of life can themselves enroll for relevant courses and gain knowledge on food, health and various other topics which are important for them as well as their family.

In view of India’s incessantly increasing population, the geographical distances, and limited number of seats available in colleges, distance learning opens new directions of opportunities for the learners to obtain higher education irrespective of distant location and time. People belonging to weaker sections of the society and residing in remote areas can also have the privilege of studying in India’s topmost universities through distance learning. Distance is now no longer a hindrance to pursue a desirable course as most universities providing distance learning programs have study and examination centres in many cities. Distance education has opened a new window of opportunities for countless professionals, dropouts (school & college), and housewives to accomplish their incomplete dreams. The distance education in forthcoming times will no doubt see a manifold increase in people’s enrolment.

Presently, there are 15 open universities, including Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and about 54 distance learning institutes in India. Most of the Indian states viz., Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chandigarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Orissa, Pondicherry, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tripura, West Bengal offer distance learning programs. Some of the states even have a separate department for distance learning like University of Delhi, Mumbai, Maharashtra, Punjab University, Osmania University, Hyderabad and others.