Use phygital instruction medium in a structured way: Parliamentary panel

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports, has recommended that the new phygital or hybrid way of instructions (teaching) “be experimented with in a structured manner” and its “impact assessed scientifically”.

The Committee, in its report presented in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, said, while on the one hand, dependable internet facilities will have to be further developed, State Governments and independent institutions will also have to explore the possibility of using established satellite technologies for providing uninterrupted education in hybrid format – which is also called Phygital (Physical plus Digital).

“Some State Governments seem to be lackadaisical in their approach towards this,” it said further.

Education delivery

The Committee, chaired by Vinay Prabhakar Sahasrabuddhe, has appreciated the move towards establishing a Digital University to provide access to students with “universal education and personalised learning experience at their doorsteps”, has recommended development of “more hubs and spoke models of education delivery”.

It suggested public universities can act as hubs with local institutions serving as the spokes, and “thus become a carrier of quality education to all parts of the country”.

“Further, the Committee recommends that a new Phygital or Physical plus Digital (hybrid) way of instructions be experimented with in a structured manner and its impact assessed scientifically,” it said.

Crass Confusion

According to the Committee’s observations, in some States, these Deemed Universities and local colleges “have been engaging in a tough competition to attract students” leading to “not just to crass confusion” but also a “feeling of being cheated” amongst students and their guardians.

“State Governments and the relevant bodies of the government at the Centre should proactively take measures to prevent emergence of this kind of situation,” it said.

According to the Committee’s report, there was “an urgent need to revisit and revamp the norms for starting online courses” and the concerned authorities should take measures in this regard.

“Taking note of the fact that many deemed Universities in order to make quick money were starting Open Distance Learning courses undermining the qualitative research work, the Committee strongly recommends adequate measures to curb such tendencies after carefully examining the options,” it further added.

Parameters for assessment and recognition of various courses under regulatory bodies need to be updated “to bring them in tune with the current best practices,” it said adding that: “Also, efforts be made towards offering a level playing field as far as grants in aid were concerned.”

It was also suggested that Higher Education Department may consider appointing a study group to assess the overall performance of Private and Deemed Universities; also revisit the Private University Regulation, 2003 and Deemed to be University Regulation, 2019, “in the light of several positive as well as some negative aspects” (that include violation of UGC and AICTE rules and regulations while structuring and introducing any new academic programme and similar such issues).

It recommended that “Government give an active consideration to the demand that deemed universities be allowed to use the term ‘university’ by amending Clause 23 of the UGC Act, 1956” - which states that no institution, other than a university established or incorporated by a Central Act, a Provincial Act or a State Act is entitled to use the word ‘University’.

The term ‘deemed university’ creates a lot of confusion in foreign countries as there is no concept of deemed university in many parts of the world, the Committee said.

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