Mumbai University’s Distance Wing Adopts NEP with Flexible UG Programs and Hybrid Learning

• Mumbai University’s CDOE launches NEP-aligned 4-year UG program with multiple entry-exit options.
• Hybrid learning introduced: 40% of curriculum via online/recorded content.
• Over 2,000 students enrolled in the first week of rollout; outreach conducted in 200+ rural areas.

In a substantial step towards the National Education Policy (NEP), the Centre for Distance and Online Education (CDOE) at Mumbai University has launched its first NEP compliant undergraduate courses allowing more flexibility and access for students across Maharashtra.

The CDOE accommodated over 24,000 distance learners last year, and is now offering a four-year degree program with multiple entry and exit points allowing students to stop and start their education as desired.

The new framework allows students to graduate from the program at the conclusion of the academic year with formal certification, and join later to continue their studies to promote lifelong learning.

Prof. Dr. Shivaji D. Sargar, Director of CDOE, states that this initiative primarily benefits working professionals, parents, migrants and those experiencing transitions in their lives who want to upskill in a flexible manner.

The NEP rollout not only enables curriculum flexibility but also impacts the method of delivery. The CDOE has implemented a hybrid learning model where 40% of the academic credits must be completed through online lectures and recorded modules. As a means of addressing the digital divide, the university has partnered with a local learning centre so that students in disadvantaged areas have access to computers and digital infrastructure.

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“When we realized the needs of disadvantaged learners and signed the MoUs with centres to develop the tools and environments necessary to succeed,” Dr. Sargar said. To raise awareness, officials from the university have done outreach with over 200 educational centres in Kalyan, Palghar, Dahanu, Sawantwadi, and more.

Nonetheless, experts warn there are still issues to overcome. Former MU Vice-Chancellor Dr Bhalchandra Mungekar said the problems of consistency for logistical reasons, transparent grading, and equivalence in other institutions were "the big challenges", adding that "how well implementation goes will be very important for the success of the whole initiative."

Despite these hurdles, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive - over 2,000 students registered in the program since it started last week. Our program also offers unique elective options like solo singing, poetry, and mythology, providing a breadth of learning opportunities for distance education students like never before.