By Vishu Adhana

New Delhi [India], April 4 (ANI): The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) is planning to revive five discontinued engineering courses at Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) in a blended mode, more than a decade after they were discontinued, officials said.

According to the officials, the plan is to relaunch five programs: Diploma in Civil Engineering (General); Diploma in Computer Science and Technology (DCST); Diploma in Mechanical Engineering (DME); BTech programs; and Diploma in Engineering and Technology.

A committee, headed by IGNOU VC Nageshwar Rao, has been constituted to evaluate the plan's feasibility. It is expected to submit its report within a month.

AICTE Chairman Prof TG Sitharam emphasized the importance of blended learning in technical education, allowing students to complete theoretical coursework online and attend in-person sessions for practical training

'If approved, the blended mode will allow students to complete theoretical coursework online while attending in-person sessions for practical training,' Sitharam said, making technical education more flexible and affordable.

'What we have learned is that blended learning is here to stay. With the advent of augmented reality and virtual reality, students can conduct experiments online. However, we cannot call an engineering program purely online. Students will have to spend three weeks in the university for practical sessions, while the remaining nine weeks can be completed online. We are working on a model that will significantly reduce the cost of learning and improve accessibility.'

As per the official, the committee, which was formed in January, has already met a few times.

On the parallel side, AICTE, the governing organisation for university-affiliated and autonomous technical institutions, has also sent a proposal to the Ministry of Education regarding the resumption of engineering programs.

'We want to take the concurrence of the Ministry of Education regarding this. We are awaiting their response,' the chairperson said.

IGNOU had to discontinue its Bachelor of Technology (BTech) and Diploma in Engineering programs following regulatory directives.

In 2009, the education ministry issued guidelines barring universities from offering technical courses, including B.Tech and B.E., through distance learning.

This was reiterated in 2012 when the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the Distance Education Council (DEC) instructed IGNOU to cease its engineering programs.

IGNOU had previously offered B.Tech degrees through distance learning, including the Vertically Integrated Engineering Programme (VIEP), with admissions in 2009-10 and 2010-11 before the program was discontinued.

The university also provided diplomas in Civil Engineering, Computer Science and Technology, and Mechanical Engineering, all of which were phased out by 2012. (ANI)