Gauhati University in India has offered 21 unapproved courses through its distance learning center.
Gauhati University jeopardizes students’ education
Around 74,000 students who enrolled at the distance learning center in Gauhati University are about to be discredited for taking unauthorized courses.
Report from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG)of India confirmed that the university accumulated around Rs 39crore (around $5.44 million) from seven years of accepting enrollees under their distance learning center program.
Falsifying records
According to CAG, the oldest university in the northeast part of India has submitted numerous false affidavits to the University Grant Commission (UGC) regarding the halt of operation of its distance learning courses.
The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), along with the approval from the Distance Education Council (DEC), first approved the Gauhati University’s appeal for distance learning certification in August 2010. The agreement gave the university authorization to offer eight courses only for a trial period of three years.
It was clear in the agreement that GU is only allowed up to eight courses under their distance learning program.
After the probationary three year period, the UGC extended its operation for another five years until the academic year 2017-2018.
Breach of agreement
As agreed between the DEC and the IGNOU, distance learning at Gauhati University has only eight approved learning courses. But a recent report from CAG confirmed the following:
During our agency audit, GU had offered 21 unapproved courses through the open and distance learning program during the academic years 2010 till 2017. The university breached its agreement with DEC and IGNOU.
Courses not included in the mandatory eight approved courses will be considered invalid and not acceptable for any job position in any agency of the government.
The decision is expected to affect more or less 73,912 who enrolled in 19 out of the 21 unauthorized courses offered by Gauhati University.
Also, CAG discovered that GU had submitted affidavits continuously to the UGC about maintaining the eight approved courses but secretly operating with 21 unapproved courses.
The university is submitting falsified affidavits to get extension after extension and recognition.
The CAG report was already submitted to the concerned government agency and is awaiting a reply regarding possible sanctions the university might incur.
Featured image by Guwahatitimes
