With about 40,000 registrations so far and online undergraduate courses launching this academic year, Delhi University’s School of Open Learning (SOL), is a convenient alternative to students who may not have made the high cut-offs but still want a degree from DU.
The institution provides distance learning as well as regular programmes for five UG courses which include B.A., B.Com, B.A. (Hons) political science, B.A. (Hons) economics and B.Com (Hons). While SOL administration had petitioned to reduce the eligibility criteria to its courses to pass marks (33%), an official said that the old eligibility criteria of 40% will continue for its courses this year.
Last week, DU’s Executive Council had approved plans to provide SOL’s UG courses online which will likely increase the number of enrolments to its courses this year. According to UGC guidelines, for setting up online modules, such courses are supposed to have four components, or a “four quadrant approach”. This includes online video or audio tutorials, reading material through e-books or PDF, open access web content, including useful articles, and finally, self-assessment modes such as MCQs and discussion forums.
“Video lectures” for some courses have been put on the SOL website since earlier this year and are accessible on YouTube. These include lectures for economics in Hindi and English, commerce and for political science. The number of videos under each subject varies with political science having the most uploads so far.
However, while some of these courses have been titled as part of B.A. Programme, they appear to be videos of specific papers presented at a conference at SOL.
The last date for admissions to the SOL without late payment is July 31 and with late payment of ₹200 is August 31. The entire process is online except for the nutrition course, and for PwD and foreign students.
