Osmania University
Today, the Open Learning System through the distance mode of education
has come to be accepted as a well - relevant to and necessary for
meeting the emerging demands of our society. Because of its inherent
potential and flexibility, the open learning system has spread over
more than 105 countries through 900 institutions, which offer well
over 16,000 courses to some 18 million learners all over the world.
Open Learning System
(OLS)
The Open Learning System has been popular through
distance education programme all over the world. In the Indian context,
the ideas of Universalisation of Elementary Education and democratisation
of education as a whole have strengthened the base of OLS. The School
of Correspondence Courses and Continuing Education (Delhi University),
set up in 1962, was the first correspondence school in India. At
present, there are 64 dual mode universities, which offer correspondence
courses in different fields leading to diplomas and degrees.
Open
Universities
The idea of establishing an Open University to offer
quality education to the "much larger body of population, which
remains outside the university system" was proposed as early as
1970 in a seminar organised by Government of India. Following the
recommendation of the seminar, the Government of India appointed
an eight-member Working Group, which recommended the establishment
of an Open University. The Government of Andhra Pradesh established
the first Open University, Andhra Pradesh Open University in August
1982 (renamed as Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University (BRAOU) in 1991)
. The actual functioning of the APOU started during 1983-84 session.
The union government made a policy statement for established of
a National Open University in 1985. The Indira Gandhi National Open
University (IGNOU) came into being in 1985 by an Act of Parliament.
IGNOU is one of the largest distance education networks in the world.
Encouraged by the success of IGNOU and BRAOU, other states like
Rajasthan, Bihar, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, West Bengal,
Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh have established sate open Universities.
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