The Human Resource Development Ministry has asked IGNOU to restart the online education programme e-GyanKosh, which was allegedly stopped by Vice-Chancellor M Aslam in 2013 who is now facing a probe for administrative irregularities and closing down of certain programmes.
Asking the varsity to “reactive” the e-GyanKosh repository, HRD Joint Secretary SP Goyal has suggested that it may be integrated with the SAKSHAT programme for seamless access of content with national digital library and the Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCS).
When discontinued, the e-GyanKosh platform was receiving on an average 1,000 visits per day from across the world and by November 2013 had received 20 lakh hits. It had more than 3 lakh active registered users, having free access to the content.
In August, 2011, IGNOU’s board of management resolved to convert e-Gyankosh into an open educational resource which would have gone a long way towards having a virtual University in the country.
However, instead of moving in this direction, e-Gyankosh was closed allegedly by Aslam in November 2013 on the pretext of having a new Intellectual Property Rights policy, sources in the varsity said.
They said the closure of e-GyanKosh is also a part of the inquiry instituted against Aslam.
The shutdown not only led to a waste of Rs 20 crore but also deprived the facility to lakhs of students particularly those in the remote regions of the country, the foreign students of IGNOU and the members of the Indian Armed Forces who are pursuing IGNOU programmes, they said.
Aslam went on leave in November last year after the Ministry set up a committee under Gujarat University VC Syed Bari to review the functioning of IGNOU and look into the allegations against Aslam.