AICTE Policy for All (Technical/Engineering and Non-Technical) Distance Education in India

1. All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) is mandated by Parliament for proper planning and coordinated development of the technical education system throughout the country. It is responsible of promotion, qualitative improvement and proper maintenance of norms and standards in the technical education system and for matters connected therewith.
2. The ‘technical education’ as defined under AICTE Act 1987, includes programme of education, research and training, engineering, technology, architecture, town planning, management, pharmacy and applied arts & crafts.
3. The technical education system in the country, at present, offers technical education programs through conventional face to face and distance mode of education. The distance mode of education includes delivery of courses through correspondence i.e., reading material management course by electronic or other modes like on line education etc. The maintenance of standards of technical education imparted through distance mode has two aspects. One is the delivery mechanism the courses/programmes (through distance mode) and the other is quality and relevance of the contents of the course. The first aspect i.e., delivery of the courses/programmes (through distance mode) is taken care by the Distance Education Council (DEC) Statutory Authority of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), which is mandated by Parliament for promotion and development of distance education systems in the country and determination of the standards therein. As regards quality and relevance of the courses/programmes in technical education, it is for AICTE to regulate and maintain it.
4. Further, Government of India, as an employer, had clarified its position with regard to the recognition of the qualifications earned through distance mode vide Gazette Notification No. 44 dated 1st March 1995 which inter-alia, states that only such qualifications earned through distance mode, which are approved by DEC and wherever necessary, by AICTE, are recognized for the purpose of employment under Central Government. A number of Government organizations and State Governments have adopted this parameter for recognizing the qualification acquired through the distance mode for employment under them. Giving consideration to the Government of India’s position clarified through Gazette Notification mentioned above as also to discharge its duties in respect of determination and maintenance of the standards of technical education, AICTE enunciates the following policy in respect of technical education through distance mode.

• The programmes, conducted through distance mode, leading to MBA and MCA degrees shall only be recognized by AICTE.
• The University, institutions offering MBA and MCA programme through distance mode shall have the infrastructure as prescribed by AICTE, for MBA & MCA programmes.
• Institutions/Universities shall prescribe course material, for complete MBA and MCA programmes through distance mode, which should be equivalent to at least 1500 hours of classroom teaching. The student enrolled for these programmes shall successfully complete the said course work before award of degree. However, the students shall be allowed to complete this course work in flexible mode.
• There shall be mandatory internship of six months for both these programmes.

Source: AICTE