UGC Regulations, 1985 regarding the Minimum
Standards of instructions for the Grant of the First
Degree through Non-formal/Distance Education
University Grants Commission
New Delhi110002
25th November 1985
No.F1117/83(CP) In exercise of the powers conferred by Clause (f) of
subsection(1) of Section 26 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956
(No. 3 of 1956), the University Grants Commission makes the following
regulations, namely:-
Short title, application and commencement:-
These regulations may be called the University Grants Commission
(the minimum standards of instructions for the grant of the first degree through nonformal/distance education in the faculties of Arts, Humanities, Fine Arts, Music, Social Sciences, Commerce and
Sciences) Regulations, 1985.
They shall apply to every university established or incorporated by or
under a Central Act, Provincial Act or of a Section 2 of the University
Grants Commission Act, 1956 and every institution deemed to be
University under Section 3 of the said Act.
They shall come into force on June 1, 1986.
Admission/Students:
No student shall be eligible for admission to the 1st Degree Course
through nonformal/distance education unless he has successfully completed 12 years schooling through an examination conducted by
a Board/University. In case there is no previous academic record, he shall be eligible for admission if he has passed an entrance test
conducted by the University provided that he is not below the age of 21 years on July 1 of the year of admission.
No student shall be eligible for the award of the first degree unless he
has successfully completed a three year course; this degree may be called the B.A./B.Sc./B.Com. (General Honours/Special) degree as the
case may be.
Provided that no student shall be eligible to seek admission to the Master’s
Course in these faculties, who has not successfully pursued the first Degree
Course of three years duration.
Provided further that, as a transistory measure where the universities are
unable to change over to a three year degree course, they may award a B.A./B.Sc./B.Com. (Pass) degree on successful completion of two year course, but
that no student of this stream shall be eligible for admission to the Master’s course unless he has undergone a further one year bridge course and passed
the same. The three year degree course after 10+2 stage should in no case be termed as B.A./B.Sc./B.Com. (Pass) degree.
Programme of study:
Each lesson shall constitute approximately one week’s reading and
there shall be at least 25 lessons in each main subject of study. The
lessons shall be despatched to the student at regular intervals.
The University shall set up study centres (outside the headquarters) in
areas where there is a reasonable concentration of students. Each study centre shall have adequate library facilities (text books, reference
materials and lessons and supporting materials). They shall also have qualified parttime
instruction/counselling staff to advise and assist the students in the studies and remove individual difficulties.
A contact programme of 810 days shall be organised in different
places where there is a reasonably good number of students, to include lectures and discussions in support of the studies. Classes
may be arranged on Sundays and other holidays at the headquarters.
Adequate number of practicals shall be provided in all courses involving
such work and if necessary, these may be arranged in the evening,during holidays or vacations in the existing institutions.
Every student at the undergraduate level shall be required to do at
least five home assignments in each subject which shall be made available to him at regular intervals, received back, corrected, graded
and returned to the student at regular intervals. The University shall maintain a record of the progress of studies of each student.
The minimum number of assignments performed by a student for each
subject shall be 3 in order to be eligible for appearing in the examination
in the concerned subject.
Examination:
The University shall adopt the guidelines issued by the University
Grants Commission from time to time in regard to the conduct of examinations.
There shall be home assignments, students response sheets, contact
programmes and semester/year end examination. The marks or grades obtained in home assignment and response sheets shall be shown
separately in the grade card alongwith percentile ranking. Further more, the University shall develop a dependable system of checks
and controls on marks or grades awarded in home assignment and response sheets.
Explanations:
Percentile rank refers to the percentage of all the examinees in the course
who had the same or higher percentage of marks or grade in the examination.
The examination question papers shall be framed so as to ensure that
no part of the syllabus is left out of study by a student.
No Semester/Yearend examination shall be held in a subject unless
the University is satisfied that at least 75% of the programme of study indicated under subregulations
3, and 3(4) have been actually conducted.
Teachers:
No teacher shall be appointed who does not fulfil the minimum
qualification prescribed for recruitment as per University Grants Commission (Qualification required of a person to be appointed to the
teaching staff of a University or other Institutions affiliated to it
Regulations, 1982 notified under Section 26(i) (e) of the University
Grants Commission Act, 1956.
Every teacher shall be available in the Institution on each working day
during the period prescribed and shall perform such duties as specified
under subregulations 5(4) and in addition undertake examination/test/
evaluation/invigilation work, general assistance to students in removing
their academic difficulties and participate in extracurricular
and institutional support activities as required.
The work load of a teacher shall take into account teaching research
and extension activities, preparation of lessons, evaluation of
assignments, term papers etc. and shall be in accordance with the
guidelines issued by the University Grants Commission from time to
time for nonformal and distance education:
Provided that the time spent on extension work where it forms an integral
part of the course prescribed shall count towards the teaching load.
The workload of a teacher in Distance Education course shall include
the following:
Preparing, editing writing, revising translating lessons and other
reading materials and checking the academic content thereof:
Teaching under personal contact programme as described in
subregulation 3(3):
Correction of student response sheets:
Maintaining a record of work done by him termwise
and submitting the same to the Institution:
Work during vacations to prepare reading materials, reading of
proofs, etc.
Such other work as may be assigned in connection with teaching
or examination.
The norms of workload for teachers at the undergraduate level shall
be as prescribed in the guidelines issued by the University Grants Commission from time to time.
The number of fulltime and parttime teachers shall be provided
keeping in view:-
Programme of study as provided in subregulations
3(1) 3(2) 3(3) 3(4) 3(5), and 3(6).
total institutional work load as provided in sub
regulations 5(1),5(2) 5(3) 5(4) and 5(5) and
total enrolment of students.
Information:
Every University providing instruction through nonformal/
distance education shall furnish to the University Grants Commission information relating to the
observance of these Regulations in the form prescribed for the purpose. The information shall be supplied to the University Grants Commission within 60
days of the close of the academic Year.
S.K. Khanna
Secretary
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