The Association of Self-Financing Arts, Science and Management Colleges of Tamil Nadu (ASFASMTN) has filed a Writ Petition in the High Court of Madras on the Regulation 22 of University Grants Commission (Open and Distance Learning Programmes and Online Programmes) Regulations, 2020 dated 04.09.2020 stating Online Education shall be treated as equivalent to the degrees offered through regular or conventional mode at UG level and PG level.
ASFASMTN files Writ Petition in the High Court of Madras challenging the UGC regulation stating Online Education is equivalent to the regular education.
The Association of Self-Financing Arts, Science and Management Colleges of Tamil Nadu (ASFASMTN) has filed a Writ Petition in the Hon’ble High Court of Madras on the Regulation 22 of University Grants Commission (Open and Distance Learning Programmes and Online Programmes) Regulations, 2020 dated 04.09.2020 stating Online Education shall be treated as equivalent to the degrees offered through regular or conventional mode at UG level and PG level.
The association has stated in the affidavit filed in the Hon’ble High Court of Madras that the association is not against the regulation permitting degrees awarded by online mode / ODL mode whereas as it against the regulation 22 dt: 04.09.2020 which declares the UG and PG degrees obtained through online mode or ODL mode equivalent to regular degree obtained through conventional mode and the mode of degree should be printed in the degree certificates, provisional and Mark sheets.
The association president Prof.Dr.Ajeet Kumar Lal Mohan in a press release said that in the regular conventional degree courses, the students undergo prescribed stringent norms and standards to ensure quality in education. Since the online programs and ODL programs does not fulfill any norms or standards related to regular conventional mode of education the quality education is diluted. Hence, the degrees obtained through Online / ODL mode cannot be declared as equivalent to the regular degrees through conventional mode.
He also said that the transaction of knowledge through in-campus training shapes the students character and intellectuality towards obtaining better cognitive skills. The colleges are established in compliance of the structural and instructional facilities prescribed under UGCs Act and regulations, State laws and University Statutes. Hence, the UG degrees and PG degrees awarded through regular courses on conventional mode ensures the quality of education.
He also said that in regular courses students are getting education directly to develop overall skills including co-curricular activities. The regular courses also involves in laboratory hours, sports hours, summer internships and other extensional activities like NSS with award of credits, etc.,
Hence, the association has decided to file a Writ Petition against the regulation passed by the UGC, New Delhi.