| Abbreviation | DEB |
|---|---|
| Formation | 2013 (2013) |
| Headquarters | New Delhi |
| Leader | Joint Secretary |
Main organ | Bureau |
Parent organization | University Grants Commission |
| Website | deb |
TheDistance Education Bureau (DEB) is a bureau of theUGC based inNew Delhi,India, in charge of regulatingdistance education in India.[1] It was established in 2012, replacing theDEAC, an organisation that was responsible foropen learning and distance education since 1985.
Distance education in India started in 1962 with a pilot project correspondence courses, which led to the birth ofUniversity of Delhi's School of Correspondence Courses and Continuing Education (nowDU-SOL). The success of the project led to introduction of correspondence course institutes (later renamed as directorates or centres of distance education) in more universities. In 1982Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University was established, the firstopen university in India. This was followed by the establishment ofIndira Gandhi National Open University at the national level in 1985.[2] Although thestatutory authority for regulating higher education in India is theUniversity Grants Commission (UGC), the responsibility for promotion and coordination of open and distance learning (ODL) was bestowed on IGNOU under theIndira Gandhi National Open University Act (1985).[3][4] The Distance Education Council (DEC) was set up by IGNOU in 1991 and became operational in 1992.[2] with theVice Chancellor of IGNOU acting as theex officio chairperson of DEC.[5]
In August 2010, theMinistry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) constituted a committee for investigating distance education standards in India. The committee recommended the creation of a new regulatory body, the Distance Education Council of India (DECI). It also recommended that until such body is established, the DEC may be shifted to UGC. On 29 December 2012, the MHRD published an Order transferring the regulatory authority of distance education from IGNOU to UGC.[2] In May 2013 IGNOU dissolved the DEC and the UGC took over the entire assets and manpower,[6] establishing the Distance Education Bureau.
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