Universities asked to consider SWAYAM MOOCs for Credit Courses for the July Semester Exams

The University Grants Commission has asked the universities and colleges across the country to consider adopting the 124 SWAYAM MOOCs as credit courses for the July 2020 semester. This came in after there has been uncertainty over reopening the university and college campuses for conducting the examinations due to the COVID-19 outbreak. 

At present, there are 82 UG and 42 PG MOOC courses offered under the SWAYAM (Study Web of Active-Learning or Young Aspiring Minds) which is an open online course platform launched by the MHRD in 2017 for free online courses. 

As per reports, since the lockdown was announced on March 24, 2020, close to 50,000 learners have accessed the 1,900 MOOCs which according to data is an addition to the 25 lakh students already enrolled in the January 2020 semester of SWAYAM. 

The University Grants Commission has cited the Credit Framework for Online Learning courses through SWAYAM for Credit mobility where students can learn online and take the SWAYAM semester exams which are conducted by the NTA and get the credits transferred to his/her university. The students will be able to appear for the exams scheduled to be conducted by the NTA in November and get the credits transferred by which the loss of classes due to the lockdown will not be incurred. The UGC has suggested that the universities and colleges could get the courses ratified by the statutory bodies.

In a letter addressed to the heads of the higher education institutions, Rajnish Jain, Secretary of UGC stated that under the present circumstances, the universities and colleges are encouraged to make the maximum use of the SWAYAM online portal. The UGC secretary also stated that the SWAYAM  courses may be approved and adopted through the SWAYAM platform by the Vice-Chancellor of the university on the recommendation of the Dean Academic/ Heads of Department of the university for the credit transfer and ratified by the Academic Council. 

SWAYAM semester examinations will be conducted on November 14 and 15, 2020 and the UGC  has also asked the Higher Educational institutions to plan their examination scheduled in order to avoid any clashes. 

UGC has also invited the faculty members from the institutions to submit their expression of interest for developing non-technology UG and PG courses to the Consortium for Educational Communication which is the national coordinator for the courses offered under SWAYAM. 

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