Aligarh Muslim University to begin online courses
Aligarh: As the Government of India for the first time allowed universities to offer fully online degrees as part of a push to widen access to higher education and to raise the profile of Indian institutions globally, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) became an ‘early mover’ in the online education space after being granted permission to start online B.A, B.Com, M.A and M.Com courses from the current academic session. The courses will be offered by the Centre for Distance and Online Education (CDOE).
AMU is one of the first select few universities to begin online courses after meeting all the pre-requisites of the UGC (Open and Distance Learning Programmes and Online Programmes) Regulations, 2020.
In accordance with the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) norms, only the universities accredited by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) with at least a score of 3.01 out of 4 or ranking in the ‘Top 100’ were eligible to apply for running the online programmes.
“With the introduction of online graduation and post-graduation courses at the CDOE, AMU will have a global outreach and this development shall herald a new era in the march of CDOE towards its goal of providing quality and affordable education to all,” said AMU Vice Chancellor Prof Tariq Mansoor.
He added that allowing universities to offer fully online programs is a significant development.
“The fully online degrees can increase enrollment and completion, while at the same time reduce barriers to entry. Online degrees will be offered at lower cost and will likely appeal to working adults who are unable to pursue on-campus degree programmes,” said Prof Mansoor.
He pointed out that AMU has the required smart state-of-the-art technology oriented learning model with E-Learning Resources drafted by experts to run the online courses.
Prof M Nafees Ahmad Ansari (Director, CDOE) pointed out that these online courses are open to candidates from all over the country and abroad.
“Indian students will have to pay the fees in Indian Rupee (INR) and provide their Aadhar card details; whereas the students in distant countries will be required to pay the fees in US Dollars with the requirement of their passport details,” he said.
Prof Nafees added that application requirements for online programmes are more flexible compared to on-campus degrees. The submission of admission applications, registration of classes, carrying on coursework and assignments and the taking of exams will be all done online without the physical presence of the students.