UPRTOU's Review & Verdict by CollegeDekho

Campus at a Glimpse 

Uttar Pradesh Rajarshi Tandon Open University (UPRTOU), established in 1999, is like a beacon of hope for learners in Pragyaj. UPRTOU is the only state-open university established in Prayagraj (formerly known as Allahabad). It successfully enrolled about 50,000 students in the 2021-22 batch. Being an open university, UPRTOU reaches the students through its wide network of 11 regional centres in UP, namely Gorakhpur, Lucknow, Bareilly, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Ghaziabad, Meerut, Agra, Jhansi, Kanpur, and Ayodhya. With more than 1,500 study centres, it takes education across rural and urban areas of the state. 

UPRTOU Prayagraj offers 127 general and professional courses at the undergraduate, postgraduate, diploma, and certificate levels. UPRTOU courses are recognised by the UGC-AICTE, jointly, and the DEB. The courses are offered in diversified disciplines such as Management, Education, IT, Tourism, Journalism, Computer Science, and many more. It follows mixed admission procedures such as direct admission, entrance-test-based admission, and lateral entry admission to increase overall enrolment. In fact, students who miss taking admission in July may apply in January, as UPRTOU admissions are done in two cycles. 

While UPRTOU enjoys immense popularity in UP, it has failed to enrol enough students from outside the state. The university’s efforts in providing up-to-date education are commendable, but students appear to be deprived of university scholarships, exposure, internships, and placement opportunities. 

UPRTOU Ranking: No Participation! No Ranking!

UPRTOU does not have any ranking for reference. Being an open university, it might not be evaluated on various criteria used by major-ranking bodies for regular educational institutions. However, agencies such as NIRF recognise and rank open universities in India, but no official report of UPRTOU’s participation has been found. 

Our Take

One can’t assess UPRTOU based on various criteria used by ranking institutions, such as faculty, placements, and curriculum.  

UPRTOU Academia & Batch Size

The university has adopted the Choice-Based Credit System (CBCS) for UG-level courses. It offers a well-designed curriculum comprising core courses, discipline-centric elective courses, compulsory foundation courses, elective foundation courses, and skill-based open elective courses.

UPRTOU prioritises learner-centric education and follows a mix of online and offline teaching methods such as face-to-face counselling sessions, computer-aided software packages, internship and field training, seminars, library facilities, tutorial assignments, audio/video cassettes, interactive mobile counselling, teleconferencing, electronic mails, and self-learning materials (SLMs). Furthermore, the evaluation process includes assignments, project work, vivas, practical examinations, and semester/annual examinations.

Around 50,000 students were admitted to UPRTOU in the 2021-22 session, as per the CIQA annual report 2023. Students have positive reviews of the curriculum and teaching methods adopted by the university. 

Our Take

UPRTOU follows a Choice-Based-Credit-System (CBCS), which provides students with more flexibility to choose the subjects of their interest. Using a multimedia teaching approach increases student participation, which is necessary for their development. A large batch size represents the university’s popularity in the state. UPRTOU is indeed serving a higher purpose by enabling people to complete their education while they cannot attend a regular college due to other commitments or disabilities. 

UPRTOU Infrastructure

Classroom:

Classrooms at UPRTOU are enabled with ICT as per SSR 2021. 

Auditorium/ Seminar Halls/ Labs:

The university has a huge auditorium with a seating capacity of 1000 people. It also has ICT-enabled seminar halls and various laboratories, such as an audio-visual lab, a science lab, and a computer lab. 

Library:

The central library at UPRTOU has a vast collection of books and other reading materials. 

Internet:

As per student reviews, the university campus has stable Wi-Fi connectivity for students. 

Hostel:

UPRTOU has average hostel and mess facilities, as per students' feedback. 

Activities:

UPRTOU conducts various academic activities such as field work, projects, internships, dissertations, seminars, extended contact programmes, practical sessions, and workshops in different modes. As per SSR 2021, 88% of students participate in these activities. 

Cafe/Hang-out:

The university offers on-campus canteen facilities for staff members as per SSR 2021. As per students, canteen facilities are available for them as well. Some of the cafes and hang-out places near the main campus are The Handi Restaurant, New Taste Hub, Nand Restaurant, Allahabad Museum, Anand Bhavan Museum, Akbar Fort, and several parks. 

Our Take

Physical infrastructure and facilities play a minimal role in the setup of open and distance education. However, UPRTOU provides all the required facilities to the students who wish to visit the campus to learn. Moreover, academic activities conducted by the university ensure academic growth and the overall development of students. On the other hand, facilities like cafeterias and the Internet contribute to making the university campus an enriching and inclusive one. 

UPRTOU Internships and Placements

UPRTOU Internships:

UPRTOU has included internships in its curriculum. As per SSR 2021, the number of students undertaking internships or field projects was 25,435. However, it’s unclear whether the university invites recruiters for internships or not. 

UPRTOU Placements:

UPRTOU has not released any official placement report for 2023. Based on SSR 2021, only two placement drives were conducted by the university over the last five years. Based on the available data in the report, Dainik Bhaskar recruited 5 students from the 2019-20 batch, and Sulekha Pvt. Ltd. hired 10 students from the 2018-19 batch. Students have provided mixed reviews related to UPRTOU placements.

Our Take

The majority of open universities don’t focus on providing internships and placement opportunities in India, and UPRTOU is just the same. However, this should not limit open universities to collaborating with organisations and corporations to devise a way where students of open universities shall at least be given a chance. Therefore, it could be concluded that the university needs to focus more on its training and placement scenarios, as students look forward to good training and placement opportunities even if they are pursuing an open learning course. 

UPRTOU Diversity & Representation

As per the Self Study Report 2021, the percentage of students outside Uttar Pradesh was very nominal, 5%, and the male-to-female ratio was 29:21. Let’s look at the course-wise demographics for UPRTOU admission for more details. 

Home State vs Other State Students:

Male vs Female Students:

Our Take

UPRTOU lacks in providing inter-state diversity. However, it doesn’t affect the students much as it is an open university. The male-to-female ratio is reasonable. Distance education helps working and remotely placed females continue their education. Hence, UPRTOU must ensure higher female enrollment and organise drives for the same. 

UPRTOU Faculty/College Administration & Management

Based on the annual report 2023 of CIQA, UPRTOU Allahabad has 131 faculty members: 46 for UG courses and 85 for PG courses. According to the student reviews, the faculty at UPRTOU is knowledgeable and helpful. They guide students and encourage them to build skills and enhance their knowledge. Also, university examinations are held on time.

Talking about the administration, the current governor of UP, Smt. Anandiben Patel, is the chancellor of UPRTOU. Other administrative staff members are qualified and experienced. As per students, the management is approachable and cooperative towards them. The management appears focused on ensuring its internal quality. It has established a Center for Internal Quality Assurance (CIQA) which publishes annual reports and contributes to promoting quality assurance strategies and processes. 

Our Take

An optimum number of faculty are available at the main campus of UPRTOU. Students can benefit from the learned and supportive teachers. The quality of faculty available at the university tells how serious the university is about its academic growth. However, more information about the faculty and management at regional and study centres can spread awareness among aspiring students located far away.

UPRTOU Location

Uttar Pradesh Rajarshi Tandon Open University is located at Shantipuram Awas Yojna (Sector-F), Phaphamau, Prayagraj, India. The university is located in a residential area that is well connected by roads and railways. The vicinity is surrounded by cafes, restaurants, parks, banks, ATMs, etc. 

UPRTOU: Expectation vs Reality CLD Verdict!

UPRTOU Allahabad is a popular open university in Uttar Pradesh, and this is evident through its high student intake within the state. On the contrary, its popularity outside the state is limited. UPRTOU provides satisfactory infrastructure, facilities, and curriculum. However, it appears hopeless in terms of providing ample placement opportunities. 

UPRTOU offers a wide range of courses, but it can increase the number of technical courses in its curriculum. The fee structure for UPRTOU courses ranges from INR 2,220 to 45,000. The fee for MBA is INR 36,000; for B.Ed is INR 37,000; for MA is INR 17,000; and for BA is 13,5000. The fee structure is affordable, especially for economically deprived students. 

Overall, UPRTOU is a convenient option for students within the state who can’t attend regular classes and wish to pursue higher education while continuing their exam preparation, job, etc. 

Our Final Checklist!