A welcome step in Indian education system

Posted On: 25/11/2014 Updated On:

The move is a welcome step in India, which battles a shortage of infrastructure and qualified teachers in higher education, with the model also having the potential to democratize higher education, experts say.

MOOCs or a massive open online course is a system aimed at unlimited participation and open access via the web. It does not always quantify as formal education but provides a platform to study quality courses from institutions offering them, usually for free. The government had announced the programme as part of the initiatives undertaken by the ministry of human resource development (HRD) in its first 100 days in office with the aim to reach out to 10 million students.

HRD Minister Smriti Irani said that the initiative was undertaken in the light of concerns expressed over the quality and affordability of education. She also said that an Indianite version has been provided to students.

Welcoming the initiative, experts said that the availability of the model was a "great asset" for motivated students. "MOOCs have the potential to become a teaching/learning platform, with universities certifying the competence (degrees) and providing the opportunity for networking and developing other skills. In this scenario MOOCs are like textbooks," T.V. Prabhakar, professor, department of computer science and engineering at IIT-Kanpur, told IANS.

Describing MOOCs to have the "potential to democratise higher education", Pushkar (one name), a professor in the department of humanities and social sciences at BITS Pilani, said that it offers India's young population a platform to get themselves an education "despite the nation's failed higher education system". He, however, added that young Indians and their parents are more interested in degrees than in education per se. "So as long as one can get a degree after doing some MOOCs, it is all good," Pushkar told IANS.

More News

West Bengal JEE ANM And GNM Counselling 2026 Schedule Out: Check Round-Wise Dates

WBJEE ANM GNM Counselling 2026 schedule is out. Check registration, choice filling, seat allotment, fee payment and reporting dates for all three counselling rounds. WBJEE ANM and GNM Counselling 2026: The West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination...

Posted On: 14/08/2026

GATE 2027 Registration Revised Dates Announced: Check Schedule Here

GATE 2027: Qualified candidates can use the GATE score for admission to postgraduate and doctoral programmes in the Ministry of Education-supported institutions. GATE 2027: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras has announced a revised sche...

Posted On: 13/08/2026

CBSE Class 12 Supplementary Result 2026 (OUT)

CBSE Class 12 Supplementary Result 2026 Live Updates: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced the Class 12 supplementary result 2026 today, August 12. According to the official announcement, 53.08 per cent of the total...

Posted On: 12/08/2026

QS Rankings 2027: Indian Institutions Rise From 11 To 52, Says Centre

India's representation in QS World University Rankings rose from 11 in 2015 to 52 in 2027, reflecting growth in higher education. India's presence in global university rankings has grown significantly over the past decade. The number of Indian insti...

Posted On: 11/08/2026

NEET PG 2026 City Slip Tomorrow? Here's What To Expect As Per New Rules

NEET 2026: Medical aspirants must note that qualifying the NEET PG exam is mandatory for entry to MD, MS, and PG Diploma courses in India. NEET PG 2026: The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) is expected to issue the Nat...

Posted On: 10/08/2026

NEET UG Counselling 2026: Round 1 Choice Filling Starts, Submit Preferences By August 13

NEET UG Counselling 2026 Round 1 choice filling has started. Candidates can submit college preferences until August 13 before choice locking closes. The Medical Counselling Committee has started the NEET UG Counselling 2026 Round 1 choice filling pr...

Posted On: 08/08/2026

Andhra Pradesh NEET UG Counselling 2026 Registration Begins

AP NEET UG Counselling 2026 registration begins for MBBS and BDS admissions. Check registration dates, application fee, documents required, counselling schedule. AP NEET UG Counselling 2026: Dr. N.T.R. University of Health Sciences (NTRUHS), An...

Posted On: 06/08/2026

NEET UG Counselling 2026: Registration Begins On August 5

NEET UG Counselling 2026: The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) will begin Round 1 registration for NEET UG Counselling 2026 on August 5. Ahead of the commencement of the counselling process, the Ministry of Health has released step-by...

Posted On: 05/08/2026

AP ICET 2026 Counselling Phase-1 Dates

AP ICET Counselling 2026 The AP ICET 2026 (Andhra Pradesh Integrated Common Entrance Test) counselling is a critical stage in the admission process for candidates who have qualified in the AP ICET exam. It is conducted...

Posted On: 04/08/2026

CLAT 2027 registrations start today at consortiumofnlus.ac.in; exam to be held on December 6

The CLAT 2027 is scheduled to be held on December 6 in a single shift, from 2 pm to 4 pm across the country. The exam will be conducted in an offline pen-and-paper format. Candidates preparing for the exam can check its syllabus and exam pattern on i...

Posted On: 03/08/2026

View all

Admission Open

ICFAI University (IFHE)

Hyderabad, Telangana

BBA, BCA, L.L.B, LLM, B.Arch, B.Sc, BA, MA, EMBA, BA LLB (Hons.), BBA LLB (Hons.), Ph.D in Law, Ph.D, PG Diploma, Ph.D (Economics), B.E / B.Tech, Ph.D

Apply Brochure

Admission Open

RV University

Bangalore, Karnataka

MBA, B.A. LLB, BA, B.Sc Hons, BCA (Hons), B.A (Hons), B.Com.(Hons.), BBA (Hons), B. Com (Hons), B.E / B.Tech, M.E / M.Tech

Apply Brochure

Admission Open

Presidency University, Bangalore

Bangalore, Karnataka

MBA, BBA, MCA, BCA, LLM, B.Com, B.Sc, BA, Bachelor of Design, BBA LLB (Hons.), B.Com.(Hons.), BA LLB (Hons) Integrated, B.Com LL.B. (Hons) integrated, B.E / B.Tech, M.E / M.Tech

Apply Brochure