Open Learning the last resort for DU aspirants now

At a time when Delhi University (DU) colleges have put up high cut-offs for admission, its School of Open Learning (SOL) that offers distance learning courses is swamped with applications - emerging as a ray of hope for students who do not meet the high criteria of the colleges. SOL, which receives over 300,000 applications annually, offers courses in humanities and commerce streams through distance learning programmes. "Students who find it difficult to clear the cut-offs of DU and still want the university's tag are coming for the courses here," SOL assistant registrar S.K. Lamba told sources. "Some students these days want to learn and earn at the same time; so they join SOL," he added. Many of the students joining SOL are able to pursue a vocational course as well as a course of their choice through distance learning. The USP of the distance learning school is that students do not have to attend classes compulsorily which take place only on weekends. Students who have taken up professional courses like chartered accountancy come for distance learning courses as they don't have to attend classes at SOL and are thus able to devote time to both. The School offers undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses in arts and commerce subjects. Printed course material is distributed to the students and the fees is, like all DU colleges, very low. Parents of students are also supportive of their wards taking up these courses. Age is no bar at SOL. The institution gets many applications from people who left studies long ago. The institution had 900 students when it started in 1962. The number reached several hundreds of thousands last year. "The huge number of candidates is because of the fact that there are not enough number of seats and colleges in the country that can accommodate the growing number of students," Lamba pointed out. SOL follows the policy of granting admission to all applicants if they have scored the minimum marks - which is 40 percent. Delhi University was established in 1962. It has 16 faculties, 86 academic departments, 77 colleges and five other recognised institutes spread all over the city.