Open sesame: Open universities are an unconventional way to learn at your own pace, wherever you are (reuters)

Ravikant and Keshvendra from West Bengal — who are among this year’s top 50 rank holders in the civil services examinations — didn’t go to a well-known college. Neither did S. Savitha, who won a Commonwealth scholarship. All three studied in open universities.

So if you thought open universities were only for those with low academic scores, think again. Today, go-getters are opting for this mode of study. The two IAS probationers pursued their undergraduation from the Indira Gandhi National Open University (Ignou) in Delhi. Savitha, currently pursuing her PhD in mathematics from the University of South Florida in the US, with a tuition fee waiver and teaching assistantship of $11,000, is an alumna of the Dr B.R. Ambedkar Open University, Andhra Pradesh.

“The distance education system allows students the flexibility of choosing a variety of programmes and completing them at their own pace,” says Raj Shekhar Pillai, vice-chancellor, Ignou.

Many students from open universities have proved that grit and determination can lead to success without having to pursue education from the so-called elite colleges. “By proving their capabilities, distance learners have shown that they are in no way inferior to students of regular formal institutions,” says .R. Reddy, vice-chancellor, Dr B.R. Ambedkar Open University.

Not surprisingly, more and more students are looking at educational avenues in open universities. At Ignou, the present enrolment is around 1.8 million students, up from 1.2 million last year.

Globally, there has been a 40 per cent increase in distance education. “As many as 95 per cent universities in developed countries offer open and distance learning,” says Pillai.

Indeed, 14 open universities in India offer certificates, diplomas and graduate, postgraduate and doctoral degrees. The universities offer education in courses ranging from architecture to creative writing and life sciences. Some of the popular professional courses include business administration, hotel management, public relations and library sciences. Some universities offer courses in multimedia and web technologies and postgraduate diplomas in retail management and psychological counselling.

These universities are recognised by the Distance Education Council of India (DEC). “The council maintains the standards and organises the activities of distance learning. It ensures that the quality of teaching is maintained in all universities,” says Swaraj Basu, director, DEC, Delhi.

You have to clear Class XII to be eligible for the open universities. Entrance exams are held for professional courses such as BEd, MBA and other postgraduate streams. “The quality of teaching is on a par with and the assessment is as stringent as in any regular institution. Students should not regard this system of learning as a cakewalk,” says Sunita Malhotra, director, School of Sciences, Ignou.

In fact, a student pursuing education through the distance mode should be more disciplined than his counterpart who attends college everyday. “With no peer pressure and external factors forcing a student to keep his nose to the grind every day, he can get lazy and leave things for the last minute. So a disciplined approach is essential,” says Delhi-based career counsellor Pervin Malhotra.

Once you have zeroed in on your choice of subject, choosing a university shouldn’t be difficult. Some of the prominent universities include Ignou in Delhi, Dr B.R. Ambedkar Open University headquartered in Hyderabad with 200 centres in the state, Netaji Subhas Open University in Calcutta, and Nalanda Open University in Bihar.

Fees vary according to the nature and duration of the course. At Ignou, the fee for a regular undergraduate degree course is Rs 1,400 a year while a three-year diploma in civil engineering would cost as much as Rs 57,200 a year. Most open universities give a student six to eight years to complete a three-year undergraduate degree. For a two-year postgraduate degree, the relaxation may range from three to six years.

Teaching in open universities is done through contact classes that are held at study centres across the country. Technology too has played a big role in narrowing distances. Through teleconferencing, students from remote areas are able to access lectures. “During the last decade, distance learning has evolved phenomenally to bridge physical distances. Internet and mobile technology are now used to support learning,” says Reddy.

Distance learning also helps people who are otherwise unable to pursue a regular course of study. It’s just right for a homemaker, a person who has to work while studying, or someone who is in an area with little access to higher education.

Many students vouch for distance education as it offers them ample time to explore more study options. “Pursuing graduation through correspondence helped me utilise my three years for picking up various diploma courses. Today, I am employed while my peers are still studying,” says Sanush Vijay, who pursued courses in travel and tourism and German and is now working at a travel portal in Delhi.

But since there may be universities which are not recognised, or fly-by-night bodies trying to lure students without good faculty, it would be a good idea for a prospective student to do some research. Find out about the faculty, credibility and the infrastructure of the university before you take a decision. “Distance education from a good open university is better than mediocre universities or private universities. As long as the employer is aware of the reputation of the open university, one need not worry,” says R. Raghuram, reader, biotechnology, IP University, Delhi.

Raghuram rues that not enough is known about open universities. “The need of the hour is to advertise their course content to employers through placement services,” he says. Ignou has just signed memoranda of understanding with nongovernmental and governmental organisations for publicity.

However, Pervin Malhotra believes that distance learning is more suited for students pursuing postgraduate studies. “After having led a protected life in school, children now need to learn to be independent and interact with a cross-section of people. This can happen only when they go to a regular college,” she says.

Students of open universities are advised to equip themselves with add-on courses suited to their career choices. “Pursuing a certificate or diploma course from an institute will give them an added edge. Since they will be attending classes daily it will also shape their personality,” adds Malhotra.

A serious concern that many students have while pursuing distance education is about job opportunities. Industry insiders insist that it will take some time before correspondence courses are given as much weightage as regular degrees. “Unless they have some valuable work experience, we try not to appoint students who pursue education through open universities,” says a recruiter at a media organisation.

That is why experts urge you to pick up additional skills — knowledge of a foreign language, for instance — while pursuing a degree in an open university. Many of the universities are also upgrading their courses.

“Students who pursue education through distance learning can’t be termed less ambitious. Most of them have their own reasons for choosing a distance education option and the mode of education should not be the deciding factor for recruiters,” says Anil Verma, INA Consultants, a placement agency in Delhi. Students need to be judged by their competence, he says, and not by the mode of learning.

If you are keen on distance learning, you must remember that contact classes are important for they help in self-discipline. Projects and assignments should be submitted on time and examinations cleared in the prescribed time period.

Distance learning is not distant learning. On the contrary, as Savitha, Ravikant and Keshvendra have shown — it can take you right to the top, where you want to be.