Reforms to India’s Online Education System

If there’s one aspect of life that the pandemic has pushed, it’s higher education. As quickly as institutes were forced to shut down, they responded with a wide variety of e-learning and online courses to offer students and professionals the ability to continue upskilling and learning.?

In the last five years, India’s open and distance learning system has emerged as one of the nation’s most important modes for offering students and professionals the opportunity to learn, grow, and develop. Acclaimed universities and colleges across the country are now focused on taking Indian education to the next level by partnering with reputed EdTech platforms to dispense online education.?

• UGC in favor of Online Degrees and Partnerships:

With a push towards upskilling the Indian economy, the UGC has also displayed positive encouragement towards institutes offering top-quality online degrees through e-learning and digital courses. Accredited institutions have the freedom to develop and create content both in-house and externally. With the rise of edtech in India, institutes partner with platforms that have a massive outreach and offer MBA, engineering, and other higher education courses to students and working professionals via sophisticated digital channels.?

This push could not have been possible without governmental intervention. India’s University Grants Commission (UGC) has facilitated institutions to deliver high-quality online learning experiences in partnership with platforms like upGrad. The UGC’s regulations effectively mean that universities and colleges' online education and digital courses are now equally recognized as delivering education and degrees via physical means.?

• Advantages of Online Degrees for Institutes

1. Offer Students Flexibility and Self-Paced Courses: One of the biggest challenges to upskilling is time for students and working professionals. Institutes are now partnering with EdTech companies to offer flexible and self-paced courses where students can earn high education degrees without compromising other priorities.
2. Increase Outreach: Institutes have been able to tremendously improve their demographic and outreach by attracting students ready to embrace higher education and a wider gamut of people like working professionals, home-makers, and individuals eager to upskill post a hiatus or sabbatical.?
3. Provide a Broad and Global Perspective: Virtual classrooms bring students together from around the world. They offer an edge in terms of offering live, interactive, and continuous course access to students.??
4. Upgraded Tools and Technologies: EdTech companies invest in the latest technology and tools that allow established institutes to offer students hybrid learning models. Without compromising on traditional teaching methods, institutes are now empowered to offer and impart education through unconventional yet highly engaging modes.

• upGrad Campus - Your Search for a Blended Campus Ends Here?

At upGrad Campus, we empower students to invest in themselves - from providing world-class digital courses focused on helping students become job-ready to access top faculty, industry experts, learning consultants, mentors, and alumni for the best career guidance and placement assistance.?

We are humbled by the push from the UGC in helping us offer a truly blended experience to students. With the reforms in online education, EdTech Firms can go beyond providing a degree and instead provide a holistic learning experience that equips students for life.?

upGrad Campus’ cohesive community comprises India’s top universities and colleges. upGrad Campus provides campuses access to advanced technology and tools, industry experts, and subject matter experts to help their students become job-ready and placement relevant.?

-Team upGrad Campus

References: https://indianexpress.com/article/education/ugc-reforms-ed-tech-firms-can-tie-up-with-universities-to-develop-e-courses-7784634/