Access and Equity in Open Learning in India

Abstract

 The debate in open and distance learning systems has often been focused on two contrasting issues of ‘quality’ and ‘quantity’. These two concerns need to be addressed and balanced while designing open and distance learning programmes, especially in reference to developing countries like India where access to and quality of education continue to be one of the major concerns of the education system. In India today there are 15 open universities and more than 110 dual-mode university distance education institutions (DEIs). The open universities (including the national open university - IGNOU), and the DEIs have still to address a wider unreached audience living in far-flung and remote areas. The present paper identifies such regions where due to geographically difficult terrains and socio-eco-cultural constraints, educational expansion in not as fast as it should have been. IGNOU has already taken initiatives in the North Eastern Region (NER) to make education accessible to the people living in far-flung areas. This paper identifies other such regions in the country and provides a framework for educational intervention into these areas by the open universities after taking into account the population profile, needs of the people, available resources and so on, and also discusses the possibility of collaboration with other government and non-government agencies already working in these regions. The discussion and policy implications are based on the premise that the challenge for the open and distance learning system is not only to provide quality education but also to encourage students’ participation, and to ensure that quality learning is achieved.