Irfan Tramboo
Srinagar, Feb 17: As the School Education Department (SED) continues to make it a point that it will not hold the degree in Environment Science obtained through distance mode valid, the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) today said that the degree obtained in the subject is duly recognized by the University Grants Commission (UGC).
In a communication which has been issued in this regard, it has been stated that all programs offered by IGNOU including the M.Sc Environmental Science (MSCENV) are duly recognized by UGC and in terms of the decision taken by UGC in its 550th meeting held on February 18, 2021.
“The UGC has exempted IGNOU from the applicability of UGC (Open and Distance Learning programs and Online Programs) Regulations, 2020 w.e.f. academic session 2020-2021 and onwards,” the Regional Director said.
Regional Director, IGNOU further stated that all the Degrees/ Diplomas/ Certificates awarded by IGNOU are recognized by all the member institutions of the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) and are at par with the corresponding Degrees/ Diplomas/ Certificates issued by all Indian Universities/ Deemed Universities/ Institutions etc.
“IGNOU offers two programs in Environmental studies viz (1) Masters of Science (Environmental Science -MSCENV), (2) Master of Arts (Environmental Studies — MAEVS). The Masters of Science (Environmental Science —MSCENV) program is having lab course of 4 credits in the first three semesters and a dissertation/project of an 8-credit course in the fourth semester as compulsory courses to complete the degree.”
It noted that the news regarding questioning the validity of the Degree obtained in Masters of Science (Environmental Science -MSCENV) from IGNOU, has created a lot of confusion among the students and “is factually wrong, incorrect and misleading.”
The SED, on the other hand, has consistently argued that degrees obtained by candidates in Science through remote learning are not qualified for employment as Plus-2 lecturers nor for entrance to MPhil or PhD programmes, which has proven to be challenging for the in-service people.
The SED has stated clearly that Environmental Sciences belong to the category of Science stream where practicals are part of the curriculum and that such degrees are thus essential to be acquired via regular mode only unless such courses are explicitly allowed through distance mode by Distance Education Council (DEC) or All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).
The matter, regarding the validity of degrees acquired through distance mode, has also been taken up with the University of Kashmir, which has stated that a high-level committee has already noted that the candidates holding a master’s degree in science subjects awarded through the distance mode from other universities are neither eligible for appointment as lecturers in the Higher Education Department (Plus-2) level nor for admissions to the M.Phil or Ph. D programmes and that the PG in Ecology and Environment degree earned through remote learning is neither accepted by the university nor equivalent to the corresponding PG in Environmental Science at the University of Kashmir in Srinagar.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel