Newman’s The Idea of a University advocates his ideas of university education seeking to guard against obscureantism in education. It handles basic principles concerning the site from the university, the aim of university education, the qualifications of the university teachers, and the beliefs in liberal education. Newman also defines knowledge and differentiates between mere learning and knowledge.

The fundamental themes of Newman’s approach to present the idea of a school are very well known:

Knowledge is definitely an result in itself, to become pursued because of its own sake and never for many utilitarian value.
The university is, first and foremost, a community of scholars, teachers and students dedicated to the pursuit of truth.
The core of the curriculum may be the humanities which represent the highest attainment of cultivated minds.

From the quantity of alternative formulations of the identical idea distributed by Newman, we have selected his following statement to define the university. The University, Newman says,
“… is where that one thousand schools make contributions; where the intellect may safely range and speculate, certain to find its equal in some antagonist activity, and its judge in the tribunal of truth. It’s a place where inquiry is pushed forward and discoveries verified and perfected, and rashness rendered innocuous, and error exposed, by the collision of mind with mind, and knowledge with knowledge.”

Newman does not define university in a narrow sense. Education inside a university is not specific but general. “a University isn’t a birthplace of poets or of immortal authors, of founding father of schools, leaders of colonies or conquerors of nations.” A school provides chance to acquire understanding of different branches. In a university, students, prffessors and experts of varied discilpines assemble together and exchange their views, and therefore acquire ‘knowledge’.

Knowledge which is a quest for university is, according to Newman, a unified whole. It includes all branches of data, as Newman says,

“I have asserted all branches of data are connected together, because the subject-matter of knowledge is intimately united by itself, as the acts and the work from the Creator.” (v) However, Newman differentiates between knowledge and mere learning. A single branch of knowledge is really a mere learning. Thus, “all Knowledge is a whole and the separate Sciences areas of one”. Knowledge could be compared to tree having a number of branches. Different branches of data are of equal importance, “They complete, correct, balance each other.”

The university education is “Liberal”. Newman says that “the end of University Education,…[is]… the Liberal or Philosophical Knowledge… which…has a very tangible, real, and sufficient end, although the end can’t be divided from that knowledge itself.”

There are two methods of Education-philosophical and mechanical. Mechanical education gives preference to instruction, and is aimed at immediate results of the procedure. Its scope is narrow.

On the contrary, Philosophical education, which is much broader, denotes liberal education which Newman advocates for. It’s not characteresid by physical instruction rather through the exercise of reason, mind and inner faculty, through the cultivation of intellect. Thus by liberal education Newman means the ethical sense or education or even the moral vision needed for a person’s private, social, national and intellectual life. The function of university education, Newman points out, is to create a group who are literate and cultured, to create gentlemen who’re filled with common sense and who are able to master any situation. Newman’s notions about University Education or Liberal Education are anti-utilitarian. His approach is fundamentally from the Utilitarian view that education or anything must have a sort of ‘utility’ or usefulness in pragmatic value that’s it has to have market value. Thus by the term Knowledge, Newman, in an anti-utiliterian way, means something abstrract, something intangible, something intellectul. As Newman says,

” When I talk about knowlwdge, I am talking about something intellectual, a thing that grasps what it perceives through senses;…”

However, Newman doesn’t altogether deny the necessity of mechanical education. He admits that,

“Let me to not deny the necessity, in order to decry the advantage, of these focus on what’s particular and pratical, as is one of the useful and mechanical arts;” In presenting the liberal education, Newman argues that religion and science cannot enter into conflict, unless they are misrepresented or misunderstood. The purpose of liberal education is to create a gentleman, not a Christian as Mill says, “Liberal education makes not the Christian, not the Catholic, but the gentleman. ” However, a Christian could be so much better than if he was gentleman also, because all the fields of human investigation should be unified through the organizing concepts of theology, which is a science of its own kind.

The university teacher, based on Newman, should be “eloquent, and it is a missionary along with a preacher” who’ll display ” his science in its most complete and many winning form”, and who will have “the zeal of enthusiasm” lighting up love in the “breasts of his hearers”. If we observe the background of Newman’s presenting the essay, we have seen the word “Idea” has been used meaning of “ideal”. The model that they urged on his Dublin audience, seeking their support, particularly financial, in order to obtain a brand new Catholic university in Dublin, was that of the unreformed Oxford by which he had spent his formative years. Actually, one may claim, his was a Platonic ideal, divorced from practice.

In pursuance to the announcement of 100 days agenda of HRD of ministry by Hon’ble Human Resources development Minister, a New Policy on Distance education In Advanced schooling Sector was drafted.

BACKGROUND

1. In terms of Entry 66 of List One of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India, Parliament is competent to make laws for the coordination and resolution of standards in institutions for higher education for research, and scientific and technical institutions. Parliament has enacted laws for discharging this responsibility through: the University Grants Commission (UGC) for general Advanced schooling, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) for Technical Education; and other Statutory bodies for other disciplines. As regards advanced schooling, with the distance mode, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) Act, 1985 was enacted using the following two prime objectives, amongst others: (a) To supply opportunities for advanced schooling to some large segment of population, especially disadvantaged groups residing in remote and rural areas, adults, housewives and working people; and (b) to encourage Open University and Distance Education Systems within the educational pattern of the country and to coordinate and see the standards in such systems.

2. A brief history of distance education or education through distance mode in India, goes long ago once the universities started offering education through distance mode in the name of Correspondence Courses through their Directorate/School of Correspondence Education. In those times, the courses in humanities and/or in commerce were offered through correspondence and brought by those, who, because of various reasons, including small group of seats in regular courses, employability, problems of use of the institutions of higher learning etc., could not get themselves enrolled in the traditional `face-to-face’ mode `in-class’ programmes.

3. In the recent past, the demand for higher education has increased enormously through the country because of awareness concerning the significance better education, whereas the machine better education couldn’t accommodate this ever increasing demand.

4. Under the circumstances, numerous institutions including deemed universities, private universities, public (Government) universities and even other institutions, which aren’t empowered to award degrees, have started cashing on the situation by providing learning online programmes inside a many disciplines, ranging from humanities to engineering and management etc., and at different levels (certificate to under-graduate and post-graduate degrees). There’s always some risk that some of these institutions can become `degree mills’ offering sub- standard/poor quality education, consequently eroding the credibility of degrees and other qualifications awarded through the distance mode. This requires a far higher degree of coordination among the concerned statutory authorities, primarily, UGC, AICTE and IGNOU and it is authority – the length Education Council (DEC).

5. Government of India had clarified its position in respect of recognition of degrees, earned with the distance mode, for employment under it vide Gazette Notification No. 44 dated 1.3.1995.

6. Despite the risks known in para 4 above, the significance of distance education in providing quality education and training can’t be ignored. Distance Mode of education comes with an important role for:

(i)providing opportunity of learning to those, who don’t have immediate access to manage to face teaching, working persons, house-wives etc.
(ii)providing opportunity to working professionals to update their knowledge, enabling these phones switchover to new disciplines and professions and enhancing their qualifications for a better job.
(iii)exploiting the potential for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) within the teaching and learning process; and
(iv)achieving the target of 15% of GER by the end of 11th Plan and 20% by the end of 12th five year Plan.

7. To be able to discharge the Constitutional responsibility of determination and upkeep of the standards in Higher Education, by ensuring coordination among various statutory regulatory authorities as and to make sure the promotion of open and learning online system in the country to satisfy the aspirations of cross-sections of people for advanced schooling, the next policy according of distance learning is laid down:

(a) In order to ensure proper coordination in regulation of standards of higher education in various disciplines through various modes [i.e. in person and distance] as and to ensure credibility of degrees/diploma and certificates awarded by Indian Universities and other Education Institutes, an apex body, namely, National Commission for Advanced schooling and Research shall be established good recommendations of Prof. Yash Pal Committee/National Knowledge Commission. A Standing Committee on Open and Distance

Education from the said Commission, shall undertake the job of coordination, determination and upkeep of standards of education with the distance mode. Pending establishment of the body:

(i) Just those programmes, that do not involve extensive practical course work, will be permissible with the distance mode.

(ii) Universities / institutions shall frame ordinances / regulations / rules, because the case may be, spelling the outline of the programmes to become offered through the distance mode indicating the number of required credits, listing of courses with assigned credits, reading references in addition to self learning material, hours of study, contact classes at study centres, assignments, examination and evaluation process, grading etc.

(iii) DEC of IGNOU shall only assess the competence of university/institute in respect of conducting learning online programmes with a team of experts, whose report shall be placed before the Council of DEC for consideration.

(iv) The approval will be given only after consideration by Council of DEC and not by Chairperson, DEC. With the objective, minimum quantity of mandatory meetings of DEC might be prescribed.

(v) AICTE would be directed under section 20 (1) of AICTE Act 1987 to ensure accreditation from the programmes in Computer Sciences, Information Technology and Management purposed to be offered by an institute/university through the distance mode, by National Board of Accreditation (NBA).

(vi) UGC and AICTE would be directed under section 20 (1) of the respective Acts to frame detailed regulations prescribing standards for a number of programmes/courses, offered through the distance mode under their mandate,

(vii) No university/institute, except the universities established by or under an action of Parliament/State Legislature before 1985, shall offer any programme with the distance mode, henceforth, without approval from DEC and accreditation by NBA. However, the universities/institutions already offering programmes in Humanities, Commerce/Business/Social Sciences/Computer Sciences and knowledge Technology and Management, might be allowed to continue, susceptible to the condition to obtain fresh approval from DEC and accreditation from NBA within one year, failing which they shall need to discontinue the programme and also the entire onus with regards to the academic career and financial losses from the students enrolled with them, will be on such institutions/universities.

(viii) In light of observation of Apex Court, ex-post-facto approval granted by any authority for distance education shall ‘t be honoured and granted henceforth. However, the universities established by or under an Act of education programmes within the streams of Humanities/Commerce/Social Sciences prior to the year 1991 shall be excluded from this policy.

(ix) The scholars who have been awarded degrees through distance mode by the universities if you don’t take prior approval of DEC along with other statutory bodies, shall be given one chance, provided they fulfil the requirement of minimum standards as prescribed by the UGC, AICTE or any other relevant Statutory Authority through Regulation, to look in examinations such papers as decided through the university designated to conduct the examination. If these students qualify in this examination, the university concerned shall issue a certificate. The degree along with the said qualifying certificate may be recognised for the purpose of employment/promotion under Central Government.

(x) A clarification will be issued with reference to Gazette Notification No. 44 dated 1.3.1995 it shall ‘t be applicable to the degrees/diplomas awarded through the universities established by or under an Act of Parliament or State Legislature before 1985, within the streams of Humanities/Commerce and Social Sciences.

(xi) A policy initiatives spelt in succeeding paragraphs will be equally applicable to institutions offering distance education/intending to offer learning online.

(b) All universities and institutions offering programmes with the distance mode shall need to have prior recognition/approval for offering such programmes and accreditation from designated competent authority, mandatorily in respect from the programmes offered by them. The violators of the will be liable for appropriate penalty as prescribed legally. The universities/institutions offering education through distance mode and located involved in cheating of students/people by providing wrong/false information or wilfully suppressing the information shall be also dealt with strictly underneath the penal provisions of law.

(c) The universities / institutes shall have their own study centres for in person counselling and removal of difficulties as and to seek other academic and administrative assistance. Franchising of learning online by any university, institutions whether public or private shall ‘t be allowed.

(d ) The universities /institutions shall only offer such programmes through distance mode that are on offer on their campuses through conventional mode. In the event of open universities, they shall necessarily possess the required departments and faculties prior to offering relevant programmes through distance mode.

(e) It might be mandatory for all universities and education institutions offering learning online to make use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in delivery of their programmes, management of the student and university affairs through a web portal or any other such platform. The said platform shall invariably, display in public places domain, the data concerning the statutory and other approvals as well as other necessary information concerning the programmes on offer through distance mode, their accreditation and students enrolled, year- wise, etc. This can be linked to a national database, as and when created, to facilitate the stakeholders to take a view on the recognition of the degrees with regards to academic pursuit or employment with/under them.

(f) All universities/education institutions shall make optimal use of e-learning contents for delivery/offering their programmes through distance mode. They shall also be encouraged/required to adopt e-surveillance technology for conduct of clean, fair and transparent examinations.

(g) The focus of learning online shall be to supply opportunity of education to individuals at educationally disadvantaged situations such as living in remote and rural areas, adults without any or limited access to education of their choice etc.

(h) To be able to promote flexible and need based learning, choice-based credit system will be promoted and all ODE institutions shall be encouraged to adopt this technique and evolve a mechanism for acceptance and transfer of credits from the courses successfully completed by students in face-to-face or distance mode. With the objective, establishment of the credit bank may be considered. Similarly, conventional universities, offering face to face mode programmes will be encouraged to accept the credits earned through the students through distance mode. A transition from annual to semester system shall be essential.

(i) Convergence from the face-to-face mode teaching departments of conventional universities using their learning online directorates/correspondence course wings as also with open universities/institutions offering learning online, shall be impressed upon to bridge the gap in distance and conventional face-to-face mode of education.

(j) Reputed Foreign education providers well-established, recognized and accredited by competent authority within their country and prepared to offer the amount programmes in India will be allowed, subject to the fulfillment from the legal dependence on the country.

(k) A National Information and Communication Technology infrastructure for networking of ODE institutions shall be created under National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technology.

(l) Efforts could be designed to create favourable environment for research in Open and Learning online (ODE) system by establishing infrastructure like e- libraries, digital data-base, online journals, holding regular workshops, seminars etc.

(m) Training and orientation programmes for educators and administrators in ODE system with focus on use of ICT and self-learning practice, will be encouraged.

(n) ODE institutions will be asked to take care the educational needs of learners with disabilities and senior citizens.

(o) An official notification clarifying the issue of recognition of academic qualification, earned through distance mode, for the purpose of employment, shall be issued.

(p) A mechanism shall be set up for evaluation of examples of foreign universities with regards to academic pursuit and for employment under the Central Government. This might include the assessment of the credentials from the university concerned as and to test the competence of the degree holder, if needed.