HC issues notices to Centre on distance education

New Delhi, Mar 6 (UNI) The Delhi High Court today issued notices to the Union of India and two others in connection with the injustice meted out to millions of students who obtained degree through Distance Education and Learning System (DELS).

Issuing the notices, Justice Vijender Jain, asked them to file their reply within four weeks. The court also issued notices to University Grants Commission (UGC) and Distance Education Council.

Appearing for the petitioner, counsel R P Bansal and Rakesh Mahajan argued that, the Delhi University started DELS programme along with conventional system of learning in 1962 for the first time in India. Afterwards 120 universities including 14 National Open Universities were established to facilitate higher education for all sections of the society.

But in 1995, the Distance Education Council 'unauthorisedly' started claiming the degree conferred by the Universities in these programmes under Open Distance Learning (ODL) system would not be considered for government jobs.

The case now would come up for hearing on May 17.

UNI XC YA BS1929