Page 1 of 9
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/index.php/JSMaP
e-ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 01 Issue 03
April 2015
Available online: http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/ P a g e 52
Open and Distance Learning System in India: Challenges
and Remedies
Jyoti Bala, Teacher, Department of School Education, J&K Government
Mohan Galgotra, Asst. Prof., Dept. of Education, BGSB.University, J&K
e-mail- mohangalgotra@gmail.com
Abstract
The open and distance learning system is a
crucial vehicle in the sustained
development of a knowledge society. Its
potential for flexible education delivery,
scope for self and lifelong learning and
cost effectiveness make it instrumental in
meeting the needs of individual and
communities at this junction – in the rapid
transition being made from the industrial
to the information age It has been
described as ‘’a process to create and
provide access to learning when the source
of information and the learners are
separated by time and distance, or both.’’
However, as India prepares to face the
knowledge challenges of the 21st century,
higher education presents a dismal
picture. The Indian higher education
system has emerged as one of the largest
in the world with 15 million students
enrolled in more than 33000 institutions,
in which more than 4 million students are
enrolled in the ODLs and account for
about 22% of the total enrollment in
higher education through one national
open university and 14 State open
universities and more than 200 distance
education centers functioning in India
under conventional Universities and
private/autonomous institutions. So, the
purpose of this paper is to highlight the
important role of the ODLs in fulfilling the
needs of the Indian society for higher
education and also highlights
Some challenges with certain effective
remedies.
Keywords- Open and distance learning
system, Challenges, Remedies
INTRODUCTION
Since the immemorial education plays an
important role in molding human behavior. In
common practice education is termed as any
act or experience which has a constructive
effect on the human mind and improves the
physical as well as mental ability of a person.
In the technical terms education is a process
of transmitting knowledge, skill from one to
another generation. Education is a lifelong
process. It is the sum total of our experience
and it is unlike our conventional system is not
limited to the four walls and covered only
those people who are in direct contact of the
institution. But the distance or the open
learning covers those who are unreached. In
the simple term distance learning, is a field
that focuses on the pedagogy, technology and
instructional system designs that aims to
deliver education to those students who are
not physically “on site” like in a traditional
classroom or campus. It is a flexible form of
learning process where a student can study
Page 2 of 9
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/index.php/JSMaP
e-ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 01 Issue 03
April 2015
Available online: http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/ P a g e 53
from home, work, on the move or wherever
else is convenient.
As stated, education has been recognized as a
major contributing factor to improve the
human mind in the social, cultural and
intellectual aspects of human being. In India
where more than 100 million crores people
are living and termed as an emerging super
power of international field but still its
education level does not met the international
requirements. It is worth mentioning here that
India has a rich history in the field of higher
education since the most ancient time, indeed
it is the Nalanda University that is the oldest
university system of education in the world.
However, the flow of western education is
traced back to the British Raj. The
establishment of the University Grant
Commission has also boosted the
development of higher education in India.
Now, the educational system falls under the
control of the Union as well as the state
governments. It needs mention here with
having more than 600 universities and over
19000 colleges; India’s higher education
system is the third largest in the world, after
China and the United States. In addition to
this there are more than 1200 polytechnic
institutes but still the current ratio of
enrolment in the educational institution is
below 9% which is less than average of lower
middle income countries in the world.
The history of distance and open learning
back to the innovate idea formulated by the
Delhi University to provide some courses in
the year 1962. After that Punjabi University
too also took initiative in this field. However,
in an organized mood the open learning got
its impetus with the opening of National Open
University in 1982. Again with the
Establishment of Indira Gandhi national Open
University in 1985 make a registered
remarkable progress in this field. Now
IGNOU becomes one of largest Open
University of the world
Open Learning has an important role to play
by exploring new frontiers and developments
in Open and Distance Education. The
prominent users of this mode are worldwide
in general and Asian region in particular. The
growth of the ODE system in India and
throughout the world has been phenomenal,
particularly during the last two decades.
Rapid changes have taken place in the
practice of ODE, mainly driven by changes in
Information and Communication
Technologies (ICT). The revolution in ICT
coupled with the social demand for education
for all and the need for lifelong and
continuing education have resulted in the new
vistas of open learning for knowledge society.
The main objective of this Paper is
therefore to look into the important role of
distance and open learning system in India
Page 3 of 9
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/index.php/JSMaP
e-ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 01 Issue 03
April 2015
Available online: http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/ P a g e 54
and also highlights some of the Challenges
with its remedies.
Distance learning is a field of education that
focuses on the pedagogy, technology, and
Instructional system designs that aim to
deliver education to those students who are
not Physically "on site" like in a traditional
classroom or campus, in spite of it has certain
advantages like
• Overcoming the physical distance of
remote learners those are unwilling to
physically attend a campus.
• Overcoming the shortage of teachers.
• Overcoming the stringent entrance
requirements.
• Fulfilling the needs of fulltime or part- time workers both waged and
volunteers for higher education.
• Overcoming the shortage of higher
education institutions.
• Widens cultural barriers i.e., provides
opportunities for women to learn,
meets the needs of the population
affected by violence, war or
displacement.
• Learners do not have to leave their
homes to study.
• Open access
• No formal requirements.
• Instruction that takes place somewhere
other than on a central campus, such
as a classroom remote from campus.
• Instruction is not limited to traditional
methods but includes audio, video, or
computer conferences or home study.
Challenges of open and distance learning
system in India
Although India is the third largest country in
the world in terms of higher education, after
China and the United States, India still has a
current ratio of enrolment in the educational
institution below 9% which is less than the
average of lower-middle-income countries in
the world. In this context distance and open
learning open up the door of higher education
due to its flexible and innovative as well as
low cost characteristics, but inspite of
providing a number of avenues and
opportunities to learners it is suffering from
certain weaknesses, which is as under
• Most correspondence institutes offer
courses in arts and humanities only,
enrolment in professional courses is
concentrated in B.Ed/M.Ed only.
• Correspondence courses were often an
extension of courses offered in the
conventional mode and retain the same
rigidity with regard to admission and
examinations.
• Virtually all CCIs were using print
medium exclusively and are not
multimedia based.
• Lack of coordination between CCIs has
led to considerable duplication of efforts
and wastage of scarce resources.
