UGC's Order on Online Refresher Training Course for Teachers Draws Criticism

The MHRD or Ministry of Human Resource Development had planned to conduct an online refresher-training course for all teachers in higher learning institutes every year. Following the MHRD directive, UGC had informed all the universities to send the list of courses selected by their teachers for the training programme. The idea of MHRD is to make teachers cope up with modern day challenges irrespective of their seniority.

It seems like the MHRD and UGC’s plan did not go well with a section of faculty members in top universities of India. Teachers of the University of Delhi criticised the move.

What did UGC inform Universities?

The University Grants Commission (UGC) directed all the universities to send a list of MOOCs (Massive Online and Open Courses) selected by them after getting the necessary approval from the statutory bodies. The list of courses that the universities selected has been uploaded on the official website of SWAYAM.

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About Online Refresher Training Course for Teachers:

The online refresher-training course for teachers in different disciplines is available on the SWAYAM portal of MHRD. The training is conducted in online mode. 75 National Resource Centres in varied disciplines prepared the modules of the refresher course. The refresher course for teachers will begin from October 01, 2018. The training courses will be repeated in January.

The refresher course for teachers in different disciplines hosted on SWAYAM is in four quadrants: -

• An online discussion forum for clarifying doubts
• Self-assessment tests through quizzes and tests
• Specially prepared reading material available for download/ print
• Video lectures

Teachers’ Response to Online Refresher Training Course: -

Most of the teachers have opposed the MHRD’s decision on conducting an online refresher course for teachers. A section of teachers expressed that the online courses will not make much difference in the pedagogy of higher learning institutes. Most of the institutes in India do not have enough resources to conduct online courses. MHRD must consider such factors before taking a decision, they opined.

Some of the teachers pointed out that these online courses would not benefit them in any way.

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DU teachers indicated that the UGC is trying to make the statutory body of universities redundant by passing these orders. The commission directed statutory body of universities to approve these courses. If UGC directs everything, what autonomy does the statutory body of a varsity enjoy, they questioned.

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