JUST eleven out of the top 32 institutions in the objective ranking list find a place in the perception ranking. Of the 11, seven are in the public sector and only five have substantial web presence. In fact, Sikkim Manipal alone polled about 8% of the total sample size with over 500+ unique IP addresses, showing the substantial reach technology could achieve.
The objective data results have not changed much. Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), the leviathan with 500+ programmes and 3 million plus students still retains the pole position in India’s first-ever objective rating of Distance Learning Institutes. But not so surprisingly IMT has improved its ranking in objective criterion. It has moved one level up to third position. The fact that it is a specialised institution focussed on management helped it a lot. This year with the change of guard at DEC, their database is in shambles and we could get only fresh data from 14 institutions. India has a long way to go in ensuring availability of comparable data (scroll down to view ranking methodology)In 2010, we examined the top institutions under three broad domains namely, Reach & Resources, Learning and Experience, and Results & Efficiency, and the Top 10 were populated by five open universities, three private players and two dual mode State-level universities. And collectively the scores show the sector needs substantial investments in all three stages, input, process and output. In 2011, we have also ranked institutes based on these parameters (scroll down to view).RankName of the InstitutionLocationResources & Reach (300)Learning Experience (400)Output (300)Total (1000)1Indira Gandhi National Open UniversityNew Delhi205.31258.12198.00661.432Yashwantrao C. Maharashtra Open UniversityNasik145.20239.54233.16617.903IMT Distance and Open Learning InstituteGhaziabad40.55285.00258.14583.694Sikkim Manipal UniversityGangtok65.40279.91200.85546.165University of MumbaiMumbai18.04262.35256.32536.716Maulana Azad National Urdu UniversityHyderabad59.71215.91249.17524.797Dr. B.R.Ambedkar Open UniversityHyderabad81.27210.00229.46520.728Symbiosis Centre for Distance LearningPune31.98240.00235.50507.489Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open UniversityAhmedabad31.66220.80246.23498.6810Annamalai UniversityAnnamalainagar93.20195.00206.00494.2011Netaji Subhas Open UniversityKolkata39.18240.00206.28485.4612Osmania UniversityHyderabad12.27210.00243.57465.8313Shivaji UniversityKolhapur28.03175.00251.86454.8914M.P. Bhoj (Open) UniversityBhopal48.27237.89163.70449.8615Maharishi Dayanand UniversityRohtak28.11195.00221.23444.3416University of DelhiNew Delhi66.94220.00135.11422.0517Acharya Nagarjuna UniversityGuntur36.37215.00165.52416.8918SNDT - Women's UniversityMumbai8.57170.00225.65404.2219Alagappa UniversityKaraikudi32.09235.00123.63390.7220Andhra UniversityVisakhapatnam28.08175.16168.37371.6121University of MadrasChennai30.62210.00122.59363.2222Himachal Pradesh UniversityShimla44.43185.00129.58359.0123U.P. Rajarshi Tandon Open UniversityAllahabad93.33157.12107.64358.0924Tamil Nadu Open UniversityChennai54.24145.09153.90353.2225Karnataka State Open UniversityMysore53.03241.1348.93343.1026Madurai Kamaraj UniversityMadurai36.93175.00115.91327.8427VMOU, Open University, KotaKota38.11150.00115.62303.7228Uttarakhand Open UniversityHaldwani63.14135.1458.86257.1429Kurukshetra UniversityKurukshetra21.46105.0081.59208.0530University of CalicutKozhikode15.39115.0063.86194.2531Nalanda Open UniversityPatna61.2470.0048.86180.1032Kakatiya UniversityWarangal28.0237.6197.80163.44Resources and ReachRankUniversity1Indira Gandhi National Open University2Yashwantrao C. Maharashtra Open University3U.P. Rajarshi Tandon Open University4Annamalai University5Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University6University of Delhi7Sikkim Manipal University8Uttarakhand Open University9Nalanda Open University10Maulana Azad National Urdu University11Tamil Nadu Open University12Karnataka State Open University13M.P. Bhoj (Open) University14Himachal Pradesh University15IMT Distance and Open Learning Institute16Netaji Subhas Open University17VMOU, Open University, Kota18Madurai Kamaraj University19Acharya Nagarjuna University20Alagappa University21Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning22Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University23University of Madras24Maharishi Dayanand University25Andhra University26Shivaji University27Kakatiya University28Kurukshetra University29University of Mumbai30University of Calicut31Osmania University32SNDT - Women's UniversityLearning ExperienceRankUniversity1IMT Distance and Open Learning Institute2Sikkim Manipal University3University of Mumbai4Indira Gandhi National Open University5Karnataka State Open University6Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning7Netaji Subhas Open University8Yashwantrao C. Maharashtra Open University9M.P. Bhoj (Open) University10Alagappa University11Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University12University of Delhi13Maulana Azad National Urdu University14Acharya Nagarjuna University15Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University16Osmania University17University of Madras18Annamalai University19Maharishi Dayanand University20Himachal Pradesh University21Andhra University22Shivaji University23Madurai Kamaraj University24SNDT - Women's University25U.P. Rajarshi Tandon Open University26VMOU, Open University, Kota27Tamil Nadu Open University28Uttarakhand Open University29University of Calicut30Kurukshetra University31Nalanda Open University32Kakatiya UniversityOutputRankUniversity1IMT Distance and Open Learning Institute2University of Mumbai3Shivaji University4Maulana Azad National Urdu University5Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University6Osmania University7Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning8Yashwantrao C. Maharshtra Open University9Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University10SNDT - Women's University11Maharishi Dayanand University12Netaji Subhas Open University13Annamalai University14Sikkim Manipal University15Indira Gandhi National Open University16Andhra University17Acharya Nagarjuna University18M.P. Bhoj (Open) University19Tamil Nadu Open University20University of Delhi21Himachal Pradesh University22Alagappa University23University of Madras24Madurai Kamaraj University25VMOU, Open University, Kota26U.P. Rajarshi Tandon Open University27Kakatiya University28Kurukshetra University29University of Calicut30Uttarakhand Open University31Karnataka State Open University32Nalanda Open University
METHODOLOGYInput (Resources & Reach)300No. of faculty (full-time)/total students on rolls50No. of academic counsellors/total students on rolls25Number of study centres/total students on rolls50Number of course offerings50Current Enrolment50Active Enrolment/years in existence75Process (Learning & Experience)400Quality of Course material (also based on recognition or accreditation by external agencies)100E-learning platform (presence/absence)25Quality of e-platform (verification by testing)50Telephone counselling availability
(including effective Toll-free No.)50Audio Visual-based course materials (absence/presence)10Quantum of AV study material created40Exam schedule25Responsiveness (student friendliness & forthcoming)50Contact Classes50OUTPUT (Result & efficiency)300Pass ratio200Transparency50Unique Features/Special Projects/Awards50Total1000
The Universe for Open and Distance Learning Institutes (ODLIs) in India comprises 249 institutes, out of which 188 institutes are currently offering Distance Education Programmes. Given the nature of operations of ODLIs and the lack of adequate data with the Distance Education Council (DEC) as also in the public domain, shortlisting of top 50 institutions was done even this year on the basis of student enrolment data.
The logic being the popularity of the institutions, on the basis of their admissions. Careers360 then sent letters to these 50 institutions and based on the responses received from the institute as well as the data supplied by DEC, 32 institutes were finally chosen for ranking purpose. Further, visits were made to all the institutes that responded as well as to select study centres of others to build a robust database.
The input primarily looked at the reach, infrastructure and diversity of the institutions in providing distance education. The process emphasised on the quality of resources and delivery mechanism, while output focused on the performance of the institute in facilitating the trained student in getting a better prospect.
The parameters and the weights are as follows:For the first time, we also brought out a perception-based ranking for DL institutes. Careers360 in association with Yahoo! India spearheaded the huge exercise that involved collating data on all the existing DL institutions with its attendant difficulties, as well as managing the online survey.READ MORE!
(The research and reporting team was led by Nitin Jindal and included Tanmay Perti, Pooja Mishra, and Nirmesh Srivastava. We place on record our thanks to the team at Yahoo! India who hosted the survey link on their site and ensured substantial participation of students)
Careers360 - Think higher education! India's Best Distance Learning Institutes 2011