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RELEVANCE OF DISTANT EDUCATION IN NORTH EAST INDIA

- JK SANGLURA SAILO

E. No. 111789720

Education is the key to human progress and social change. Education is a powerful

tool for empowerment of individual. It helps in developing confidence in individual and

community about their own capacities, inherent strengths to shape their lives and thus

enhance the inner strength- intellectual, political, social and economic against oppression,

exclusion and discrimination.

Distance education is an education that aims to deliver education to students who

are not physically present. It is often termed as flexible learning or Self-learning as one can

handle other commitments along with their studies without attending formal regular

classes.

Due to limitations of formal system of education, distant education programs have

been started by various universities in India. The first Open University, Andhra Pradesh

Open University (renamed later as Dr B. R. Ambedkar Open University) was established

in 1982 in Andhra Pradesh. Now, India has a vast network of distance education throughvarious formal universities apart from 13 Open Universities in different States. The success

of these courses led to the establishment of Indira Gandhi National Open University

(IGNOU) which is one of the best distance universities in the world and the only central

open university of India in 1985 by an act of the Parliament in 1985 with the major

objective to widen access to higher education.

Distant education is becoming very popular in North East India. Presently, IGNOU

has more than twenty two thousand students in the North East. Besides, there are six

universities which provide distant education apart from formal education.

Distant Education is considered as an effective instrument to eradicate illiteracy and

attainment of higher educational degrees for economically and socially backward regions

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like Northeast India. Distant education provides opportunities for students in Northeast

India who are not able to continue their education due to the financial stability and go for

the jobs over higher education. Today many students from North East India are enrolling

for distance learning courses.

Why students in India are immensely luring towards the Distance Education in

North East India? Well, there are many genuine reasons available behind this process. First

major reason is the financial stability. We all aware about the economical conditions of

India yet there are many people who can't afford the education amount. In such cases,

normally people dropped their decision for further studying and start looking for the jobs to

manage their family responsibilities but due to the enchantment of Distance Education in

India, those students can simply boost their knowledge and opt for higher education

through distant learning.

Secondly, Open schooling provides opportunities to study higher education for

those who are not capable to attend formal education due to employment, ill-health and

other reasons. Many employed workers and government servants are enrolling in Open

universities to obtain higher and professional courses as a result of interests in obtaining

knowledge and personal benefits.

Thirdly, many parts of Northeast India are far from major educational centres in the

region and also mainland India. Distant learning provides up to date knowledge and good

quality education at their door steps. This is one of the reasons behind the popularity of

distant education among the tribals of North east India.

On the other hand, there are problems too. One of the major problems faced by

distant education in North east India is lack of awareness of the quality of education

provided by universities through distant learning. Many people considered distant learning

courses and certificates are inferior to courses and certificate provided and awarded by

formal education. In fact, courses offered by Open universities are developed by renowned

experts across the country and are better than courses provided by many State boards and

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universities. Another problem faced by distant learning is irregular interaction and

counseling period in many parts of the region which has negative effect on the teaching-

learning process.

To conclude, distant education is an important means to provide knowledge to

poorer people and to obtain higher degree of education. It is also a means to reduce

inequality of educational opportunities among various sections of society residing at

various places. It provides valuable opportunities to many people who could not pursue

formal education to obtain quality higher education. With increasing development in

scientific and information technology, it will have a wider and more important role in the

provision of quality education to many people throughout the country.