Education is the right of every individual, and various organizations work together to make it accessible for all. These organizations ensure that every individual gets quality education without worrying about fees and other obligations. One of the organizations that work for the promotion of quality education is DEB. The Distance Education Bureau is a part of the University Grants Commission that regulates the quality of distance education in India. The organization was established in the year 2012 after scrapping the Distance Education Council. DEC was established in 1985 to promote open learning and distance education.
Importance of distance education
Distance education is the best way to gain knowledge for students who cannot attend regular colleges or universities. It is helpful for students willing to get higher education without facing geographical or resource limitations. However, students need to look at various parameters before selecting a college for distance education. To maintain uniformity and help students get the best of the available resources, DEB was established. It monitors educational institutions at various levels to provide the best education facilities to students.
What is the work of Distance Education Bureau?
Learners willing to know what is the work of Distance Education Bureau should continue reading the article. The Distance Education Bureau (DEB) was established by the Department of Higher Education to regulate the distance education program. Thousands of students apply for higher education programs every year; however, many of them face geographical limitations and scarcity of educational resources. To overcome such issues, they can choose to undergo distance learning programs. To ensure that students get uniformity and do not face any hindrance during their learning, DEB was established. It makes certain that all universities or colleges providing distance education comply with the standards and rules set by the organization. The board assures that students get a high-quality education and can develop their skill sets. In addition to maintaining uniformity across all educational institutions, DEB also takes care of course formats, admission processes, document requirements, college affiliation, and exams.
Is DEC and DEB same?
Every distance learner wants to know is DEC and DEB same. The Distance Education Council was overtaken by the Distance Education Bureau (DEB). Both these organizations were established to look at the quality of higher education in the country. However, DEC was replaced by DEB in 2012.
Functions of Distance Education Bureau (DEB)
The significant functions of this educational body are:
- To ensure each university or college follows the rules and regulations set by the organization
- To maintain education quality across the institutes and provide the best to distance learners
- To enhance the impact of distance education and add more learners to the program
Is distance education recognized by the University Grants Commission?
Earlier, people believed that the education offered by distance learning universities or institutions does not add much value to the student's portfolio. To smash all those claims and make people believe in the importance of distance education, the HRD ministry decided that all institutes offering distance education should be regulated by the University Grants Commission. Colleges or universities that do not fall under the UGC are not considered valid. Taking help from the UGC ODL, DEB has set a few rules and regulations to standardize the process for every educational institution. According to the regulations, students can pursue about 20% of the courses offered in a semester using the distance mode under the UGCs regulations for credit framework.
Objectives of DEB
The main objectives of this educational organization are:
- To provide students with alternatives and help them get access to better educational facilities
- To make education affordable and efficient for students
- To enhance educational facilities for all students
- To support students who are willing to upgrade their knowledge
- To promote lifelong learning facilities to students
Distance learning opportunities have gained huge momentum in recent years. Learners from all over the world have enrolled themselves in various online and distance learning courses. Moreover, with the advent of different online education platforms, students get the opportunity to enhance their skill sets and portfolio. Distance education is one of the ways to promote learning and provide the best educational resources to students facing scarcity of resources. Moreover, the changes in education policy have helped recognize the importance of distance education and online learning.
Teachmint helps schools envision a future where their students are equipped with 21st-century skills. With our advanced learning management system, you can improve the teaching-learning experience. Our offerings like education erp, admission management system, fee management system, and others conveniently digitize educational institutions.
Suggested Read: Significance of Interschool Competitions in Schools