Chennai

Prof H Devaraj, vice-chairman, University Grants Commission (UGC) said the Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD) and UGC have already framed guidelines as well as regulations for MOOC, which would be finalised at the UGC Commission meeting in New Delhi on May 9. Initially the Swayam portal will host 58 undergraduate and 38 post graduate courses, like Law, Nutrition, Chemistry, History and a few language courses among others. The list of  courses on the website will be announced by UGC in July and November. Subsequently, the Commission will write to Universities for adopting the system. The course will have a duration of one semester.

Prof. Devaraj said that UGC would identify the subject expert (principal investigator) who would offer the course across the country. The subject expert will award credit to the students, which the University would incorporate in the student’s degree for marks.

Terming flexibility and mobility as the main advantages of the Mooc platform, the vice chairman said that  wherever any college or university does not have good quality teacher or wants to supplement existing teaching strength, they could use MOOC.  The Swayam portal, which contains all the courses on the MOOC platform is likely to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 15.

Prof. Devaraj also said that UGC would discuss 60 minor and major amendments to be done in the UGC’s deemed university regulation. “ Minister Smriti  Irani has already initiated reforms in the deemed university,” he said.

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