School of Open Learning (SOL) will Not be Introducing Semester System

School of Open Learning, a pioneer institution of distance education in the country has withdrawn its initiative of introducing semester system and is the only centre to do so.

Neither teachers nor students have been told in writing that we need to switch to the new semester syllabi for our undergraduate courses," said Tapan Biswal, president of Delhi University Correspondence Courses Teachers Association (DUCCTA).

The semester system for undergraduate students, with a new and revised syllabus, was introduced from the academic year 2011-12 and the same was officially communicated by the registrar of the University to all colleges including SOL. 

On 16th May,2011 the Delhi High Court had directed all the colleges of DU to follow the semester system.

 On the other hand, the students of SOL are being given study material of the old course, which technically, does not exist because the ordinance regarding course content and system of examination was amended in the EC meetings of 25 April, 2011 and 9 July, 2011.According to the ordinance, the old course stands repealed and is replaced by a new semester based syllabus.

DU will implement at least the revised syllabus without conducting the examination twice like in the semester mode. Otherwise, migration of students between SOL and colleges will become impossible and SOL will lose its USP of being at par with the colleges as told by a teacher of SOL.