The UGC has barred noted business school Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS) from offering distance learning and online programmes due to gross violation of norms, an official said on April 18.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has also cautioned potential students against taking admission in courses offered through the two modes by the institute.

Established in 1981, the institute was accorded university status in 2003.

“Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS), Maharashtra has not adhered to the UGC regulations and is in gross violations with regard to functioning of the Centre for Internal Quality Assurance (CIQA), quality of Self Learning Material and e-Learning Material (e-LM), nomenclature of Centre for Distance and Online Learning,” UGC secretary Manish Joshi said.

“The institute was not following the fee refund policy promulgated by UGC and numerous continuous complaints being received against the HEI (higher education institution) from various stakeholders in offering Open and Distance Learning (ODL) and online programmes,” he added.

Joshi explained that so far the commission has decided to debar the institute from offering ODL and online programme for January-February 2023, July-August 2023 and January-February 2024 academic sessions.

“It may be allowed to offer ODL and online programmes for academic session beginning in July-August 2024 only pursuant to inspection or on-site visit by UGC and after obtaining necessary approvals from UGC,” he said.

The University Grants Commission (Open and Distance Learning Programmes and Online Programmes) Regulations were notified in September 2020. Subsequently, the first and second amendments to the principal regulations were notified in July 2021.

The decision regarding debarring the online and open and distance learning programmes offered by NMIMS was taken at the 556th meeting of the UGC.

Source: PTI

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