Update on my earlier blogpost regarding Distant Education Learning degree and its validity for IAS / other Government  jobs.
Here is the update, [Thanks to Kenneth Lyngwa’s email throwing light on this]

 

In short if you’ve got a degree from some Distant Education course, you need to first see whether its recognized by DEC ( Distant Education council) or not. Because if its not recognized, then you can’t sit in civil service or any central Government job exam using that degree.

Here is a copy paste job from DEC’s website.

The Dept. of Education, Ministry of Human Resources Development, Govt. of India notified vide the Notification No. 44 dated 01-03-1995 published on Saturday, April 8th, 1995 in the Gazette of India that:

“on the recommendation of the Board of Assessment for Educational Qualification, the Government of India has decided that all the qualifications awarded through Distance Education by the Universities established by an Act of Parliament or State Legislature, Institutions Deemed to be Universities under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956 and Institutions of National Importance declared under an Act of Parliament stand automatically recognized for the purpose of employment to posts and services under the Central Government, provided it has been approved by Distance Education Council, Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi – 110068.”

In view of the aforesaid directive of the Government of India, it is mandatory for all the Centres/Institutions/Directorates offering programmes through distance mode to apply to the DEC and obtain prior approval before starting a new Centres/Institution/Directorate or Programme.

It is informed that any degree/diploma/certificate offered through distance mode not recognized by the DEC shall not be accepted for employment in Government Services and the institution offering such programmes would face de-recognition.

Through media and advertisement, it is learnt that certain institutions are offering courses/programmes through distance mode which are not approved by UGC, AICTE and DEC. While the DEC has granted permission to institutions in respect of their capability to deliver the courses/programmes through open and distance learning mode, it was clearly stipulated that for any professional programme which requires the mandatory approval form the statutory authorities like AICTE, UGC, NCTE etc., it is the responsibility of the institution to get such approvals before they start any professional/ technical programme. The provisional approval granted by DEC is not to be construed to be in lieu of the approval required by the institutions from the AICTE in respect of the standards to be maintained for technical education programmes and from the UGC for offering any programme leading to award of a degree which is at variance with the nomenclature of degrees mentioned in the UGC Regulations under section 22 of the UGC Act 1956.

And, whereas, the said provisional approval by the DEC was subject to the concerned institution obtaining the approval from the appropriate statutory authorities such as the AICTE for technical and professional programmes and the UGC for general standards of higher education;

And, further whereas, it is in the public interest and in the interest of maintaining the standards of higher education that such institutions, which have not obtained the approvals of their programmes from concerned statutory authorities are not permitted to enroll students or offer such un-approved professional and technical programmes/courses;

Now, therefore, DEC hereby, notifies that institutions, whose approval is expiring this academic year or intending to offer programmes through distance mode shall not offer any professional and technical programmes of study in the coming academic session 2008-09 and onwards without seeking prior approval from the UGC-AICTE-DEC in terms of the procedure laid down and posted at the website of the UGC (www.ugc.ac.in), the AICTE (www.aicte.ernet.in) and the DEC (www.dec.ac.in).