GU offering 21 unapproved courses, 74000 students affected: CAG

The Gauhati University has jeopardized the career prospectsof nearly 74,000 students and collected Rs 39 crore as enrolment fees from themby offering 21 unapproved courses through its distance-learning centre for pastseven years.

According to the PTI, This glaring mistake was pointed outto, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) in its latest reportwhich was submitted recently in the Assam Legislative Assembly (ALA).

The CAG report said , the Gauhati University submittedmultiple false affidavits to the UGC, assuring the commission that it would notstart any new distance course without approval.

Gauhati University had permission for 8 specific distancecourses. Meanwhile the University authorities informed that they wereautonomous and do not need any permission to open the courses. But they couldnot justify why then they took permission for other eight courses.

The CAG said that the Indira Gandhi National Open University(IGNOU), with approval of the Distance Education Council (DEC), had recognizedthe Institute of Distance and Open Learning (IDOL) of the Gauhati University(GU) in August 2010 for offering eight courses for three years from 2010-11.

"It was specifically instructed that IDOL, GU shall notoffer any other course through distance mode other than the eightcourses," the report said, adding that later the approval was extended bythe University Grants Commission (UGC) for five more years from 2013-14 to 2017-18.

The recognition was offered based on recommendations of thejoint committee comprising the UGC, DEC and the All India Council for TechnicalEducation (AICTE), it said.

"Audit observed that IDOL, GU had offered 21 unapprovedcourses beyond the approved eight courses through ODL (open and distancelearning) mode during the year 2010-11 to 2016-17," the CAG said.

It pointed out that the DEC and the IGNOU had clearly statedin July 2013 that courses offered by the GU through distance mode other thanthe eight approved courses were not recognized by the DEC and such degrees werenot valid for jobs in central government services.

"Audit also observed that 73,912 students were enrolledin 19 courses out of 21 unapproved courses during the year 2010-11 to 2016-17and the GU collected fees of Rs 39.06 crore on these unapproved courses,"the report highlighted.

It said there was no admission in MSc-Mathematics andPGD-Insurance Management.

The CAG found the GU had submitted affidavits to the UGC"from time to time" assuring the commission that it will not startany new distance education programme "without prior approval of UGC",and in anticipation of recognition of such courses.

"As such, the GU submitted false affidavits for gettingan extension of the recognition of IDOL," it said.

Unapproved courses offered in anticipation of approval, saysGU

On being questioned, GU replied in October 2017 and December2018 that the unapproved courses were offered in anticipation of approval, butthey were discontinued from the academic year 2017, the Auditor General said inthe report.

"The reply was not tenable because the courses wereoffered without the approval of UGC and AICTE," the report said.

On being enquired by the audit, the UGC said in February2018 that no university can offer programmes through distance mode withoutobtaining prior and specific approval from the commission, it said.

"Moreover, false affidavit submitted by the GUindicated that the university had not even approached for such approval,"the report stressed.

The CAG said that the matter was reported to the governmentin August 2018, but no reply has come yet.

"The GU was offering unapproved courses risking thecareer prospects of the students as degrees under such courses were not validfor jobs in central government services," it added.