Abstract:

Accessible quality higher education system can have a multifaceted positive impacts at national as well as global level. In India, higher education is provided to the students through various ways including regular, distance and open learning modes. The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education in India is likely to increase in the coming years due to expansion of youth population in India. In such case, the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) Institutions has to play major role to ensure quality in teaching, learning, research and community participation.The purpose of the present paper is to assess, analyse and promote plans for further improvements and quality assurance of an ODL institute. One of the ODL institute, Uttarakhand Open University (UoU) was selected as sample for the present study. The data was collected through atoolkit developed by Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia (CEMCA) for commonwealth Asia to engage ODL institutions to reflect on various aspects. The present review study includes leadership, governance, programme/course design, courseware/material development, learner admission and enrolment, academic and administrative support to learners, evaluation process, infrastructure facilities including ICT facilities, output/outcome quality, human resource and ambience of research. 

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