India to launch first National Digital University (2024)

Pandemic gave a new dimension to the process of attaining education in India. Taking it a step further, Indian academia is planning on expanding and introducing digital space to allow more students to complete their higher studies.

As a part of that, in the academic year 2023-24, students can get 50 per cent of the required credit from one university and rest from a Higher Education Institution (HEI) of their choice, The Times Of India reported.

The students will also have the option of earning credit from different HEIs and get a degree from National Digital University (NDU). For instance, if an aspiring student registers for an online programme offered by Delhi University and gets 50 per cent of the credits, that candidate will be awarded a degree by Delhi University. However, the student can also enroll with NDU and earn the remaining credit from different partner universities.

NDU will be India’s first digital university and will also lead to the establishment of Higher Education Commission of India (HECI). The idea is to give options for students aspiring to complete their higher education to get their degrees from HEIs or via digital universities.

It will start with certificate and diploma programmes and will later introduce degree courses. According to the TOI report, the university will operate on the Study webs of Active-learning for Young Aspiring Minds (SWAYAM) platform.

Samarth platforms will be taken care of the technology and administrative responsibilities of the digital university. Swayam is planning on designing the curriculum for the core courses of the university along with the universities which already offer online courses. NDU allows both private and government institutions which fulfills the eligibility to offer online programmes through NDU.

HECI draft bill plans to subsume UGC, AICTE and National Council for Teacher Education.