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Eternal India
encyclopedia
EDUCATION
The percentage of students in Distance Education is 23 in the
southern region, 9.8 in the northern region, 2.0 in the central and
western regions and 1.0 in the eastern region.
Even though the national average for Distance Education is 10.3
per cent (for 1988-89) of the total enrolment for education, the figures
for individual States are very much higher. It is 46 per cent for Himachal
Pradesh, 41 per cent for Tamil Nadu, 39 per cent for the Union Territory
of Delhi and 20.2 per cent for Andhra Pradesh. The Distance Education
figures for the different regions are: 40 per cent in the southern region,
40.7 in the northern region, 57 in the central and western regions and
27.3 in the eastern region. Women constituted 41 per cent of those
enrolled in Distance Education (in 1988-89) compared to 30.5 per cent
for the formal system.
The average age of the students enrolled is another important
parameter. In IGNOU 68 per cent of the students (1988-89) be-
longed to the age group 25+. A study that was undertaken of six
institutes of correspondence courses in 1986 showed that 41.54 per
cent belonged to the age group 30+. These figures indicate that
young men and women who for some reason could not continue their
higher education in the formal system were making use of the op-
portunities provided by Distance Education.
Distance Education covers undergraduate, graduate, post-
graduate (M.A., M. Com, M.Sc.) and professional degree courses
(B.Ed., M.Ed., LLB./B.G.L.,B.Litt, Bachelor of Lib. Science,
B.Tech., M.B.A. and M.Phil). In addition there are professional
diploma and certificate courses covering a wide range of subjects.
• Distribution of students in correspondence courses
by fields of study (1989-90)
Courses No.
of Universities
Enrolment
BA
26
1,15,186
BCom
21
47,394
BSc (Maths)
4
7,051
BEd
11
2,31,00
MA
16
60,637
MCom
12
20,000
MSc (Maths)
2
4,880
MEd
8
13,700
Other
specialised
courses
at Diploma/
Degree level
12
52,402
Total
3,44,350
Although much remains to be done, the Seventh Five-Year
Plan summarises India's achievements in the field of education "The
number of recognised institutions .has increased from 2,31,000 in
1951 to an estimated 7,55,000 in 1984-85. The total enrolment over
the same period in these institutions increased from 24 million to
nearly 132 million. The national stock of educated manpower is
estimated to have increased from less than four million to about 48
million at present, the annual increment in the stock being of the
order of 3.5 million. It is significant to note that facilities have not
only increased but also diversified at all levels and in different
subjects. The enrolment for post-graduate studies has grown from
a mere 20,000 in 1951 to over 3,00,000 by 1984-85 while that in
science subjects is estimated to have increased from 4,400 to about
73,000. Extensive facilities are available for education in a variety
of branches of engineering and technology. The output of this
system has contributed significantly to our achievements in areas
like atomic energy and satellite communications and provides the
trained manpower for our economic development".
Education is related to employment opportunities. The unem-
ployment of the better educated, arts as well as technical and engi-
neering graduates, is a growing problem. This has led to an increas-
ing number of highly trained Indian professionals choosing to live
and work abroad. The new immigration policies in the United States,
the rising demand for professors and researchers in the West and
the unattractive working conditions for professionals in India all en-
courage the Brain Drain. An increasing number of professionals is
now heading for the Gulf countries in the Middle East.
The question of medium of instruction in the universities has
aroused much controversy. The switchover from English to regional
languages was recommended by the Radhakrishnan Commission in
1948-49 but little progress has been made in this direction. Lack of
text-books in the regional languages especially in science and tech-
nology has proved to be an obstacle. The use of Hindi as the all-
India language met with serious opposition from non-Hindi-speak-
ing States. Everywhere a bilingual situation in which the regional
language and Hindi are used is developing at the first degree level.
Post-graduate work continues to be done in English.
Enrolment in Major Institutions (more than 10,000)
of Distance Education
Name of the Institution
1988-89
Andhra Pradesh Open University
37,435
Andhra Uni. Waltar,
Directorate of Correspondence Courses
30,683
Annamalai University
Directorate of Distance Education
48,434
Bombay University, Directorate of Education
7,592
Delhi University,
School of Correspondence Courses
33,853
Himachal Pradesh University
Directorate of Correspondence Courses
19,257
Indira Gandhi National Open University
21.986
Madras University, Institute of Correspondence Courses 1,04,370
Madurai-Kamraj University,
Institute of Correspondence Courses
44,658
Mysore University
Directorate of Correspondence Courses
17,203
Rajasthan University, Jaipur
Directorate of Correspondence
Courses & Kota Op. Uni.
18,327
Total of the above
3,84,290
(84.0)
Total Enrolment in all
Distance Education Institutions
4,54,243
(100.0)
SELECTED REFERENCES
Moonis Raza,
Higher Education in India,
New Delhi 1991.