Staff Selection Commission (SSC), a government recruitment body has refused to recognise the degrees from Distance learning programmes run by Delhi University (DU).
Picture by Ashish
The memorandum sent by SSC says: “If the universities offering Distance Learning Mode of Education are not recognized by the Distance Education Council (DEC), the degrees issued by it are not valid. Graduation is essential qualification for the above noted examination.”
This has left several DU distance education students in lurch, regarding the validity of their graduation degree and eligibility for various jobs.
This is story of a friend, Deepak Sharma, a student of SOL under Delhi University, in his own words:
Life never seemed more satisfying till I realized that I was selected as Inspecter, Central Excise. Our celebrations were though short-lived. We were informed that all students who had graduated from School of Open Learning (SOL) under Delhi University needed to get their Degrees affiliated from Distance Education Council (DEC), which runs under IGNOU.
I, along with my friends, approached the Director of SOL, but his response was tepid. We also approached DEC, but they proved to be hardliners. Staff Selection Comission (SSC) through which we got selected in Central Excise turned a deaf ear to our problems.
Disappointed and harassed from all sides, we decided to move to court. SOL under DU is saying that we have been running our correspondence programme since 1962 and DEC came into existence in 1995. Furthermore, DU is capable of working out all the modalities to run a distance education programme.
DEC for its part says that it was founded with prime motive of regulating all distance education courses run by Universities across the country. DU is no exception while DU says it should be given a special treatment keeping in mind its reputation.
SSC has dismissed whole issue as an ego tussle between two institutes. Rightly so.
We are fed up with the litany by both DU and DEC that how their institute is superior to the other. All our hopes are now directed to the judicial system, the Honour’ble Court.
We request you to join our cause by creating awareness about the issue. This is not only a matter of job for few, but it also bears impact on livelihoods of approximate 3 lakh students who graduate from DU distance learning program every year.
Read this newstory to learn more about the issue. As it happens, this is only news story that was available on the subject. Delhi High Court, where this case will be heard is closed for summer recess at the moment. It will reopen in July. Deepak intends to create a buzz about the issue by the time Court reopens.
P.S: It is interesting to note that while the fate of SOL students still hangs in court, SOL continues to hold admissions for distance learning programmes for its new session (2009-10) on its Web site home page. I am sure, with lack of awareness, more people continue to enroll in the same un-recognised courses.
Related links
All distance-learning degrees valid for government jobs
DU to tie up with IGNOU, says V-C
Visceral Observations 
Not again!!!! When will we get tired of such shoddy mismanagement. Why will we always be heartless & wud very easily spoil the carrier n future if so many people!!! 😦
This is sad and very unfortunate. There should be a simpler and clearer system of knowing which degrees by which universities are recognized by whom.
If the media catches this story, I’m sure Mr. Sibal will be forced to look into it.
Good you wrote about it..I was thinking of asking you about this today..
will do a post on this subject on mine too and will link it..
you know my views on the subject..
this is disgusting in the extreme that just because of a tussle and ego problem between two institutes who apparently are not mature enough to handle their own problems..it has come to this stage..
Awareness as much as possible before July is the mantra na?
Done!
@indyeah and poonam : thats why I read blogs, for info like this 🙂
And seriously wth where does all that effort go , on a holiday with the judges?
Even if they are trying to put up a rule should there be something like – We won’t recognize the degree from this university from next year onwards??
How can they just un-recognize already running courses?
Are these a set of uneducated jokers??
And Courts go on a Summer break?? When thousands of cases are pending!
Hey Bhagwaan! Kya hoga iss desh ka!
*shouldn’t*
Student get crushed because of some egotistical managements. Education is pure business now. 😡
I also love your header! 😀
the pic especially is so cute 🙂
A DU course is not recognised? Why on earth does DU offer courses that are not recognised by DEC?
This is such an education 😉
However, thinking of the plight of your friend, I am absolutely aghast. You are so right in blogging about this. Please also let us know if we can sign a petition or something to help Deepak.
How weird and appauling is that DU course is not recognised by DEC, so other lesser known universities don’t even stand a chance!!
Thanks for writing, I guess this will beware the prospective students who were thinking about going for the course!!
it is pity after getting selected in a competitive test/exam and now running from pillar to post in vain and finally tapping the doors of court. what is all happening here in our own bharath. why these educational insitutions were permitted by govt. and recognition accorded by some authorities. what is the fault of the student? are they to be subjected to such treatment from various authorities and made them to run tapping various doors. a simple problem like this can not be resolved how we can attempt for resolivng complex issues? we all must introspect and feel for it. hope good senses will prevail and we march in right direction unfortunately every thing is money here and money minded people will put up so many insitution as it has become a lucrative businned of running educational institutions now a days let govt
put strict control on monitoring all these institutions run across the width and breadth of this country form south to north east to west their wings have spread put them in place. many are looting from students all this must come to an end. Jai HO Jai HO hope things will improve , improve for better
JAI HIND JAI HIND
JAI HO JAIHO JAI HO
PRANESHACHAR
This is very unfortunate and sad.
hmmm… sad! but not new, is it! 😦
Blogadda picked this up? congrats!
When 2 stupid govt organisations cant work together, why is it that poor students have to pay the price?
Poonam:
Surely checks, as to whether the degree is “recognised” or not, are to be carried out BEFORE people enrol into a course and not after the course is over, or am I missing something?
Why are they still taking admissions? Isn’t there enough local coverage to give the movement support?
Good work you have done in writing about it. I hope the mainstream media picks this up. Time is not far when all these Government employees hiding behind the curtain will have to show their faces and answer questions.
Destination Infinity
can someone please tell me what is happening regarding this case as the court must have opened by now because recently in answer to my RTI,UPSC replied in same manner,that only DEC will decide whether students of SOL will be eligible to appear for civil services exam or not
good effort mr. deepak sharma
i am also suffering from this issue.
i have passed my mba from ggsip university main campus.
if i am not graduate then how i have done p.g. from regular govt college.
if a person is allowed to do mba after 12th.
why sol is running by delhi university if it has not any value. why govt. is paying the staff of sol in university of delhi.
can we approach to consumer court to not validation of a international university.
why ssc is hiring till now from sol if it is not recognised when dec is formed in 1992. ssc do not know or confuse in hiring from 1992. why ssc awake know if it awake before then why we do graduation from sol.
why ssc did conduct the exam ,
why ssc did not give prior advertisement.
Latest on the issue:The Distance Education Council has granted recognition to the Bachelor of Arts degree of the School of Open Learning run by Delhi University.
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/article15695.ece
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/ignou-recognition-for-dus-distance-learning-courses/513032/