Summary
EdTech firms are supposed to offer courses on their own and not piggyback on private companies or outsource their job to any third party
Students and parents must check the recognition status of any programme before enrolling
EdTech platforms play a significant role in skilling and reskilling but they cannot be allowed to delve into areas that are not their domain like offering diploma and degree courses, All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) chairman Anil Sahasrabudhe has said.
The AICTE chairman’s comments come after the technical education regulator and University Grants Commission (UGC) warned universities and colleges against offering courses in distance learning and online mode in association with EdTech companies, saying no “franchise” agreement is permissible.
“We are not against EdTech companies, but they cannot be allowed to delve into areas that are not their domain. Norms are norms. We have given approval to universities and colleges to offer degree and diploma programmes but they are supposed to offer the courses on their own and not piggyback on private companies or outsource their job to any third party,” Sahasrabudhe said.
Close observation of the companies had revealed that many of them were directly releasing advertisements and offering programmes like MBA and MCA, the AICTE chairman said.
“These are postgraduate programmes in management and computer applications that can only be offered by universities and approved colleges. Top institutions in the country like the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) are also not allowed to offer management degrees, they offer diploma in management. How can we allow EdTech companies to do so?” Sahasrabudhe asked.
The UGC and AICTE have also advised students and parents to check the recognition status of any programme on their websites before enrolling in any course.
“I am not undermining the importance of EdTech companies that have emerged, especially start-ups from our approved colleges and universities. All of them have their own significance in terms of skilling and training and they can also issue certificates for the same but not degrees and diplomas. As far as universities are concerned, it is perfectly fine if they are using the platform of EdTech companies for conducting classes or online exams but it cannot be beyond that and cannot be franchise agreement,” Sahasrabudhe said.
The Union education ministry had earlier issued an elaborate advisory to parents and students dealing with EdTech firms asking them, among other things, to exercise caution while making payments.
The ministry had said that parents, students and all stakeholders in education have to be careful while deciding on opting for online content and coaching being offered by a host of EdTech companies.
Harsh Bharwani, CEO and Managing Director of Jetking Infotrain, welcome the government intervention. “Skilling institutes must focus on their strengths bridging the gap between industry and academia. Academia must perform their role of preparing students at an academic level. For optimum functioning, the education ecosystem needs them both to co-exist and complement each other, not coincide. Combining both would pose disadvantages to both EdTech as well as academia,” he said.
Last updated on 30 Jan 2022
