Who among the following has the regulatory authority to grant recognition to open distance education courses?

Universities offering distance education courses are currently regulated under the UGC (University Grants Commission) ODL (Open and Distance Learning) Regulations, 2017.

Important Points

• The Distance Education Bureau (DEB) 
  • It is a bureau of the University Grants Commission (UGC), It is in charge of regulating distance education in India.
  • It was established in 2012, replacing the Distance Education Council, an organization that was responsible for open learning and distance education since 1985.

Additional Information

• The University Grants Commission of India
  • It is a statutory body set up by the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India in accordance with the UGC Act 1956 and is charged with coordination, determination, and maintenance of standards of higher education
• Ministry of Human Resource Development
  • it is now known as The Ministry of Education
  • It is a ministry of the Government of India, responsible for the implementation of the National Policy on Education.
• IGNOU
  • It is a Central Open Learning University located in New Delhi, India.
  • It was named after former Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi, the university was established in 1985 with a budget of ₹20 million, after the Parliament of India passed the Indira Gandhi National Open University Act, 1985 
  • IGNOU was founded to serve the Indian population by means of distance and open education, providing quality higher education opportunities to all segments of society