UGC releases list of MOOCs courses; PM Modi to launch ‘SWAYAM’ in August

MEERUT: The University Grants Commission (UGC) released a list of over 2,000 Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) on Thursday. The courses will be hosted via Study Webs of Active-Learning for Young Aspiring Minds (SWAYAM) – an information technology platform – to provide high quality education on various subjects from school level--class IX-XII to under graduate and post graduate students-- covering all disciplines.This has come a month after HRD ministry was mulling to launch its MOOC platform 'Swayam' that will host over 2,000 courses for up to 3 crore students across the country on August 15.
“The University Grants Commission has been asked by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India to upload the list of MOOCs which are proposed to be launched in August, 2016. The same has been uploaded on UGC website i.e. www.ugc.ac.in. It is pertinent to mention here that the UGC has also notified UGC (Credit Framework for Online Learning Courses through SWAYAM) Regulation, 2016 in the Gazette of India on July 19, 2016 wherein credit transfer for online courses under SWAYAM platform of Government of India has been defined. The regulations are also available on UGC website,” read the circular issued by Jaspal S. Sandhu, secretary, UGC to all the vice-chancellors of the universities under UGC.
Earlier in June, Microsoft was selected as the technical partner for SWAYAM platform aims to launch online courses for over three crore students this year. The technology giant will deploy a team of dedicated people to set up the state-of-the-art application for which Microsoft and All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) signed a deal of Rs 38 crore. Microsoft will be running the app for three years after which it will be taken over by AICTE.
The circular further instructed the vice chancellors to take appropriate action for introduction of MOOCs. “You are requested to kindly peruse the list of MOOCs Courses and UGC regulations from UGC website and take appropriate action for introduction of MOOCs courses through SWAYAM platform for the benefit of the students of your university and affiliated colleges after approval of the various academic bodies of your University,” read the circular instructing the VCs.
The 2,000 courses include Forensics Science, Making of Modern India, Environmental Chemistry, Vedic Language and Literature and many more.